Is Morning Star Farms Veggie meal starters veggie crumbles ultra-processed?

Meat analogues Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring

22 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score C

Less processed meat analogues

organic tempeh Lightlife 5 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 1
Textured vegetable protein Bob’s Red Mill 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1
Mushroom Risotto Veggie Burgers Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods 18 ingredients · no additives NOVA group 1
Textured Pea Protein Acre Made 1 ingredient · no additives NOVA group 1

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 flour, corn oil (processing marker), onions, paprika, contains 2% and less of garlic (garlic, water), salt (processing marker), soy protein isolate, spices, citric acid, onion, carrot juice, garlic, vinegar, onion, sugar (processing marker), paprika color, natural flavor (ultra-processing marker), faba bean protein, pea protein

Additives: E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

Water, soy flour, corn oil, onions, paprika. contains 2% or less of garlic (garlic, water), salt, soy protein isolate, spices, citric acid, cooked onion and carrot juice concentrate, garlic powder, vinegar solids, onion powder, sugar, paprika extract color, natural flavor, faba bean protein, pea protein.

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 512 meat analogues

From least to most processed, this one ranks 145th. 80% of the meat analogues 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 512 meat analogues, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0028989102515, last edited 23 March 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 C (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.