Is Precision engineered Whey protein ultra-processed?

24 x 25 g Protein powders Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Precision engineered Whey protein

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:

  • 11 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed protein powders

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

Milk Protein (ultra-processing marker) (Whey Protein 89%), Emulsifier (ultra-processing marker) (Sunflower Lecithin (ultra-processing marker)), Fat reduced cocoa powder 1.7%, Flavourings (ultra-processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Thickener (ultra-processing marker) (Xanthan Gum (ultra-processing marker)), Sweetener (ultra-processing marker) (Sucralose (ultra-processing marker))

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E415 Xanthan gum , E955 Sucralose

As written on the pack

Milk Protein (Whey Protein Concentrate 89%), Emulsifier: Sunflower Lecithin; Fat reduced cocoa powder (1.7%), Flavourings, Salt, Thickener: Xanthan Gum; Sweetener: Sucralose. May contain traces of Soy and Egg. For Allergens - see ingredients in bold

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.

  • 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.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • E955 Sucralose Sucralose is a sweetener made by chlorinating sugar.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.
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  • 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.

  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
1 ingredient 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 149 protein powders

From least to most processed, this one ranks 132nd. 95% of the protein powders 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 149 protein powders, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5059604460272, last edited 27 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.