Is Near East QUINOA & BROWN RICE BLEND Roasted Red Pepper & Basil ultra-processed?

Quinoa Sold in the United States and France

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring
Maltodextrin

16 ingredients
1 additive

Less processed quinoa

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

Quinoa, Parboiled Long Grain Brown Rice, Red Bell Pepper, Salt (processing marker), Yeast Extract, Garlic, Tomato, Basil, Potato Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), Onion, Sugar (processing marker), Natural Flavor (ultra-processing marker), Citric Acid, Black Pepper, Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), ingredients

Additives: E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

Quinoa, Precooked Parboiled Long Grain Brown Rice, Red Bell Pepper (Dried), Salt, Yeast Extract, Garlic Powder, Tomato Powder, Basil (Dried), Potato Maltodextrin, Onion Powder, Sugar, Natural Flavor (Contains Soy and Wheat), Citric Acid, Black Pepper, Maltodextrin. CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT 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.

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.

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.

Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 35 quinoa

From least to most processed, this one ranks 32nd. 17% of the quinoa 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 35 quinoa, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0072251020069, last edited 18 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.
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.