Is Quest Cookies & Cream Protein Bar ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 20 ingredients
- 8 additives
Less processed protein bars
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
Protein blend (milk protein isolate (ultra-processing marker), whey protein isolate (ultra-processing marker)), soluble corn fiber (ultra-processing marker), almonds, water, cocoa butter (processing marker), natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), erythritol (ultra-processing marker), cocoa processed with alkali, contains less than 2% of the following (coconut oil (processing marker)), sea salt (processing marker), sodium caseinate, sunflower lecithin (ultra-processing marker), baking soda, steviol glycosides (ultra-processing marker) (stevia), xanthan gum (ultra-processing marker), sucralose (ultra-processing marker)
Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E415 Xanthan gum , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate , E955 Sucralose , E960 Steviol glycosides , E968 Erythritol
As written on the pack
Protein blend (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate), soluble corn fiber, almonds, water, cocoa butter, natural flavors, erythritol, cocoa processed with alkali. contains less than 2% of the following: coconut oil, sea salt, sodium caseinate, sunflower lecithin, baking soda, steviol glycosides (stevia), xanthan gum, sucralose.
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.
- E960 Steviol glycosides Steviol glycosides are sweet compounds extracted and purified from the leaves of the stevia plant.
- E968 Erythritol 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.
- 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.
- Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
- 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.
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.
- Vegetable fat Vegetable fats are oils that are solid at room temperature, such as palm or coconut fat.
- Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
Among 426 protein bars
From least to most processed, this one ranks 325th. 93% of the protein bars here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0888849000005, last edited 27 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.