Is it ultra-processed?
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Is MorningStar Farms Buffalo Cnk'n Nuggets ultra-processed?

Meat analogues Sold in the United States

Pack of MorningStar Farms Buffalo Cnk'n Nuggets

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:

  • 41 ingredients
  • 8 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed meat analogues

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, wheat flour, soy protein, vegetable oil (corn, canola, sunflower), soy protein isolate, Contains 2% and less of salt, methylcellulose, wheat gluten, potato starch, maltodextrin, cornstarch, tapioca dextrin, paprika color, garlic, wheat starch, dextrose, natural flavors, potassium salt, hot sauce (aged cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt, garlic), yeast extract, yeast, sugar, spices, onion, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, citric acid, yellow corn flour, paprika color, turmeric color, annatto extract color, ingredients

Additives: E1400 Dextrin , E160c Paprika extract , E330 Citric acid , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate , E461 Methyl cellulose , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

Water, wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, vegetable oil (corn, canola and/or sunflower), soy protein isolate. Contains 2% or less of salt, methylcellulose, wheat gluten, potato starch, maltodextrin, cornstarch, tapioca dextrin, paprika color, garlic powder, wheat starch, dextrose, natural flavors, potassium salt, hot sauce (aged cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt, garlic powder), yeast extract, yeast, sugar, spices, onion powder, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, citric acid, yellow corn flour, paprika extract color, turmeric extract color, annatto extract color. CONTAINS WHEAT AND SOY INGREDIENTS.

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.

  • E1400 Dextrin Dextrin is starch partly broken down by heat or acid, used as a thickener, binder and coating.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 512 meat analogues

From least to most processed, this one ranks 485th. 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 0028989101105, last edited 24 May 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.