Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Morningstar Farms Vegetarian Bacon Strips ultra-processed?

3pcs Frozen plant-based foods mixes Sold in the United States, France and Germany

Pack of Morningstar Farms Vegetarian Bacon Strips

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:

  • 46 ingredients
  • 16 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

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

Egg whites, soybean oil with tbhq for freshness, textured soy protein, modified corn starch, wheat gluten, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy), contains two percent and less of glycerin, salt, soy protein isolate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sugar, natural and artificial flavors from non-meat sources, torula yeast, caramel color, monocalcium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, natural smoke flavor, malic acid, guar gum, yeast extract, locust bean, guar gum, sodium sulfite, carrageenan, red #3, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, niacinamide, iron (ferrous sulfate), autolyzed yeast extract, nonfat dry milk, yellow #6, vitamins, vitamin b1, thiamin mononitrate, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), citric acid, cyanocobalamin

Additives: E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E127 Erythrosine , E150c Ammonia caramel , E221 Sodium sulphite , E296 Malic acid , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E341 Calcium phosphates , E341i Monocalcium phosphate , E407 Carrageenan , E412 Guar gum , E422 Glycerol , E452 Polyphosphates , E452vi Sodium tripolyphosphate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150c Ammonia caramel, E422 Glycerol.

As written on the pack

Egg whites, soybean oil with tbhq for freshness, textured soy protein concentrate, modified corn starch, wheat gluten, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (corn gluten, wheat gluten, soy), contains two percent or less of glycerin, salt, soy protein isolate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sugar, natural and artificial flavors from non-meat sources, torula yeast, caramel color, monocalcium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, natural smoke flavor, malic acid, guar gum, yeast extract, locust bean and guar gum, sodium sulfite, carrageenan, red #3, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, niacinamide, iron (ferrous sulfate), autolyzed yeast extract, nonfat dry milk, yellow #6, vitamin b1 (thiamin mononitrate), vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), citric acid, cyanocobalamin.

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.

  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E127 Erythrosine Erythrosine is a synthetic red dye (FD&C Red No. 3 in the US).
  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
Show 5 more
  • E452 Polyphosphates 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.
  • 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.
  • Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.
4 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.
  • Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 49 frozen plant-based foods mixes

From least to most processed, this one ranks 49th. 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 0028989971951, 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 E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.