Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Pot Noodle Chinese Chow Mein Noodles ultra-processed?

90 g Instant noodles Sold in the United Kingdom and the United States

Pack of Pot Noodle Chinese Chow Mein 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:

  • 42 ingredients
  • 9 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

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 (noodles 50%, wheat flour), palm fat, salt, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, sauce, vegetables (water), vegetables 5.8% (carrots 3.5%, peas, onion powder, tomato powder, garlic powder), maltodextrin, wheat flour, monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, spice, flavourings, sugar, soy sauce (soybeans, wheat), potassium chloride, palm fat, chives, citric acid, smoke flavouring, sachet (soy sauce 1.3%, water), soy sauce (soybeans, wheat), salt, molasses, sugar, acetic acid

Additives: E260 Acetic acid , E330 Citric acid , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E501 Potassium carbonates , E501i Potassium carbonate , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate

As written on the pack

noodles: noodles (50%) [wheat flour, palm fat, salt, firming agents (potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate)]. sauce and vegetables: water, vegetables (5.8%) [carrots (3.5%). peas, onion powder, tomato powder, garlic powder], maltodextrin, wheat flour, flour enhancers (monosodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), spice, flavourings, sugar, soy sauce (soybeans, wheat), potassium chloride, palm fat, chives, acid (citric acid), smoke flavouring. sachet: soy sauce (1.3%) [water, soy sauce (soybeans, wheat), salt, molasses, sugar and acid (acetic acid)].

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.

  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • 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.

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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • 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 105th. 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 5000118203534, last edited 31 August 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.