Is Morning Star Farms Grillers Original Burgers ultra-processed?

256 g Frozen plant-based foods mixes Sold in the United States

Pack of Morning Star Farms Grillers Original Burgers

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 28 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed frozen plant-based foods mixes

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Water, soy protein, wheat gluten (ultra-processing marker), vegetable oil (processing marker) (corn, canola, sunflower), calcium caseinate, egg whites, onion powder, Contains 2% and less of cornstarch, onion, carrot juice, methylcellulose (ultra-processing marker), natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), soy sauce (processing marker) (soybeans, salt (processing marker)), soy protein isolate, sugar (processing marker), garlic powder, spices, whey (ultra-processing marker), xanthan gum (ultra-processing marker), yeast extract, tomato paste (tomatoes)

Additives: E415 Xanthan gum , E461 Methyl cellulose

As written on the pack

Water, soy protein concentrate, wheat gluten, vegetable oil (corn, canola and/or sunflower), calcium caseinate, egg whites, onion powder. Contains 2% or less of cornstarch, onion and carrot juice concentrate, methylcellulose, natural flavors, salt, soy sauce (fermented soybeans, salt), soy protein isolate, sugar, garlic powder, spices, whey, xanthan gum, yeast extract, tomato paste (tomatoes).

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.

  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E461 Methyl cellulose Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
5 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.
  • Sandwiches Products in the category "Sandwiches" are at least group 3.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 49 frozen plant-based foods mixes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 39th. 39% of the frozen plant-based foods mixes here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 49 frozen plant-based foods mixes, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0028989100825, last edited 8 September 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of A (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.