Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Purple Carrot Sweet corn elote bowl ultra-processed?

Frozen vegetables Sold in the United States

Pack of Purple Carrot Sweet corn elote bowl

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:

  • 54 ingredients
  • 9 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed frozen vegetables

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

fire-roasted sweet corn, water, vegenaise, expeller-pressed canola, safflower oils, filtered water, brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, soy protein, sea salt, mustard flour, lemon juice concentrate, lime juice water, lime juice concentrate, lime oil, olive oil, corn starch, cilantro, salt, serrano pepper, potatoes, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, inactive yeast, mono- and diglycerides from vegetable oil, citric acid, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, brown rice, chickpeas, red quinoa, red bell peppers, parmesan-style cheese alternative, modified potato starch, palm oil, filtered water, canola oil, cellulose, maltodextrin, natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, sea salt, calcium phosphate, bamboo fiber, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, chickpea miso, rice koji, chickpeas, sea salt, water, koji spores, sunflower lecithin, annatto, pumpkin seed kernels

Additives: E160b Annatto , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E407 Carrageenan , E422 Glycerol , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate , E460 Cellulose

As written on the pack

fire-roasted sweet corn, water, vegenaise, expeller-pressed canola and safflower oils, filtered water, brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar, soy protein, sea salt, mustard flour, lemon juice concentrate, lime juice water, lime juice concentrate, lime oil, olive oil, corn starch, cilantro, salt, serrano pepper puree, potatoes, garlic powder, dehydrated onion, inactive yeast, mono-and diglycerides from vegetable oil, citric acid, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, cooked brown rice, prepared chickpeas, cooked red quinoa, red bell peppers, parmesan-style cheese alternative, modified potato starch, palm oil, filtered water, canola oil, cellulose, maltodextrin, natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, sea salt, calcium phosphate, bamboo fiber, sodium phosphate, carrageenan, chickpea miso, rice koji, chickpeas, sea salt, water, koji spores, sunflower lecithin, annatto, pumpkin seed kernels

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.

  • E160b Annatto Colours are substances which add or restore colour in a food, and include natural constituents of foods and natural sources which are normally not consumed as foods as such and not normally used as characteristic ingredients of 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.
  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • E460 Cellulose A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
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  • 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.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
4 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.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 115 frozen vegetables

From least to most processed, this one ranks 115th. 19% of the frozen vegetables 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 115 frozen vegetables, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0072655040045, last edited 25 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.