Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Nisin Chow Mein ultra-processed?

4 oz Instant noodles Sold in the United States

Pack of Nisin Chow Mein

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:

  • 52 ingredients
  • 14 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

flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (palm oil, canola oil), water, contains less than 2% of autolyzed yeast extract, baker's yeast, beef fat, beta carotene color, brown sugar, caramel color, citric acid, dextrin, dextrose, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, carrot, green onion, onion, shiitake mushroom, garlic powder, gelatin, hydrolyzed corn protein, maltodextrin, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate, natural and artificial flavor, onion powder, beef, salt, sodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, soy lecithin, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybean, salt, sodium benzoate (preservative)), sucralose, sugar, tbhq (preservative), textured soy protein, vinegar

Additives: E1400 Dextrin , E150c Ammonia caramel , E211 Sodium benzoate , E319 Tertiary-butylhydroquinone (tbhq) , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E428 Gelatine , E452 Polyphosphates , E452vi Sodium tripolyphosphate , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate , E955 Sucralose

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

As written on the pack

enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil (palm oil, canola oil), water, contains less than 2% of autolyzed yeast extract, baker's yeast extract, beef fat, beta carotene color, brown sugar, caramel color, citric acid, dextrin, dextrose, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, dried carrot flake, dried green onion, dried onion flake, dried shiitake mushroom, garlic powder, gelatin, hydrolyzed corn protein, maltodextrin, modified food starch, monosodium glutamate, natural and artificial flavor, onion powder, powdered beef, salt, sodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate, soy lecithin, soy sauce (water, wheat, soybean, salt, sodium benzoate [preservative]), sucralose, sugar, tbhq (preservative), textured soy protein, vinegar,

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.
  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E428 Gelatine Gelatine is a gelling agent made from collagen in animal skin and bones.
  • 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.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
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  • 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.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
6 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.

  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • 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 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 234th. 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 0070662087237, last edited 21 September 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.