Is Quest S'mores 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:
- Flavouring
- Milk proteins
- Vegetable fiber
- E322 Lecithins
- E415 Xanthan gum
- E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose
- and 3 more
- 20 ingredients
- 9 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, erythritol (ultra-processing marker), chocolate, natural flavors (ultra-processing marker), cocoa butter (processing marker), contains less than 2% of the following (sea salt (processing marker)), cinnamon, sunflower lecithin (ultra-processing marker), baking soda, steviol glycosides (ultra-processing marker) (stevia), cellulose gum (ultra-processing marker), xanthan gum (ultra-processing marker), sucralose (ultra-processing marker)
Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E415 Xanthan gum , E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose , 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, erythritol, unsweetened chocolate, natural flavors, cocoa butter. contains less than 2% of the following: sea salt, cinnamon, sunflower lecithin, baking soda, steviol glycosides (stevia), cellulose gum, 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.
- E466 Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose Carboxymethyl cellulose is a thickener made by chemically modifying cellulose from wood or cotton.
- 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.
Show 1 more
- 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.
- Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
Among 426 protein bars
From least to most processed, this one ranks 355th. 93% of the protein bars here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0888849001224, last edited 1 October 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.