Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Nestlé Maggi 2-Minute Noodles ultra-processed?

280 g Instant noodles Sold in Canada, Bhutan and 2 more countries

Pack of Nestlé Maggi 2-Minute Noodles

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:

  • 49 ingredients
  • 8 additives

Less processed instant noodles

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

Noodles (Refined wheat flour (Maida)), Palm oil, lodised salt, Wheat gluten, Thickeners (508 and 412), Acidity regulators (501 (i), 500 (i)), Humectant (451 (i)), Masala *Tastemaker (Mixed spices, Onion), Coriander, Turmeric powder, Red chilli, Garlic, Cumin, Aniseed, Ginger powder, Fenugreek, Black pepper, Clove, Green cardamom, Nutmeg, Refined wheat flour (Maida), Hydrolysed groundnut protein, Sugar, Palm oil, lodised salt, Starch, Thickener (508), Flavour enhancer (635), onion, Acidity regulator (330), Mineral, Colour (150d), Wheat gluten

Additives: E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel , E330 Citric acid , E412 Guar gum , E451 Triphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates , E501 Potassium carbonates , E508 Potassium chloride , E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel, E412 Guar gum, E451 Triphosphates, E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide.

As written on the pack

Noodles: Refined wheat flour (Maida), Palm oil, lodised salt, Wheat gluten, Thickeners (508 & 412), Acidity regulators (501(i) & 500 (i)) and Humectant (451(i)). Masala *Tastemaker: Mixed spices (25.6%) (Onion powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder, Red chilli powder, Garlic powder, Cumin powder, Aniseed powder, Ginger powder, Fenugreek powder, Black pepper powder, Clove powder, Green cardamom powder & Nutmeg powder), Refined wheat flour (Maida), Hydrolysed groundnut protein, Sugar, Palm oil, lodised salt, Starch, Thickener (508), Flavour enhancer (635), Toasted onion flakes, Acidity regulator (330), Mineral, Colour (150d) and Wheat gluten. Contain Wheat and Nut May contains Milk, Mustard, Oats and Soy.

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.

  • E150d Sulphite ammonia caramel Sulphite ammonia caramel is the dark brown colour in colas and many sauces, made by heating sugars with sulphite and ammonia compounds.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E451 Triphosphates 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.
  • E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
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  • Humectant Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.

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.
2 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.

  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 190th. 93% of the instant noodles 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 242 instant noodles, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 8901058901559, last edited 1 April 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.