Is Maruchan Ramen noodle soup chicken ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- Flavouring
- Lactose
- Maltodextrin
- E621 Monosodium glutamate
- E627 Disodium guanylate
- E631 Disodium inosinate
- 24 ingredients
- 3 additives
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Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
salt (processing marker), sugar (processing marker), monosodium glutamate (ultra-processing marker), contains less than 1% of (maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker)), lactose (ultra-processing marker), spices (celery seed), hydrolyzed corn, wheat, soy protein, turmeric, natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), vegetables (garlic, onion, chive), disodium inosinate (ultra-processing marker), disodium guanylate (ultra-processing marker), vegetable oil (processing marker) (palm vegetable oil), yeast extract, chicken, cabbage
Additives: E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate
As written on the pack
salt, sugar, mono - sodium glutamate, contains less than 1% of: maltodextrin, lactose, spices (celery seed), hydrolyzed corn, wheat and soy protein, turmeric, natural flavors, dehydrated vegetables (garlic, onion, chive), disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, vegetable oil (palm), yeast extract, powdered cooked chicken, cabbage extract,
What makes it ultra-processed
Cosmetic additives
Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.
- E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
- E627 Disodium guanylate Disodium guanylate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
- E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
- Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Substances rarely used in home kitchens
Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.
- Lactose Lactose is milk sugar, crystallised industrially from whey, a by-product of cheese making.
- Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
3 ingredients that would only make it processed
Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.
- Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
- Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
- Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Among 242 instant noodles
From least to most processed, this one ranks 110th. 93% of the instant noodles here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0041789006210, last edited 31 July 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
- Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
- General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.