Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is Samyang Chacharoni Black bean Sauce Ramen ultra-processed?

140 g Instant noodles Sold in Sweden, France and 2 more countries

Pack of Samyang Chacharoni Black bean Sauce Ramen

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:

  • 50 ingredients
  • 14 additives

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

noodle 73.7% (wheat flour), modified tapioca starch, refined palm oil, wheat gluten, refined salt, emulsifier, soy lecithin (e322), soybean oil, potassium carbonate (e501), sodium carbonate (e500), sodium phosphate dibasic (e339), citric acid (e330), guar gum (e412), purified water, green tea flavor oil soup 24% (black bean paste), water, onion, sugars (white sugar, corn syrup), soybean oil, CARAMEL COLORIE150c, artificial beef flavor powder, onion powder, texturized soy protein powder, extra virgin olive oil, flavour enhancer, disodium 5-ribonucleotied (e635), modified potato starch, acidity regulatoripotassium carbonate (e501), sodium carbonate (e500), sodium phosphate, e339ii, sodium pyrophosphate, e450] 2.3% (textured soy protein), onion, cabbage, green peas

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E339 Sodium phosphates , E339ii Disodium phosphate , E412 Guar gum , E450 Diphosphates , E450iii Tetrasodium diphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E501 Potassium carbonates , E501i Potassium carbonate , E502 Carbonates , E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide

As written on the pack

NOODLE(73.7%): WHEAT FLOUR, MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, REFINED PALM OIL, WHEAT GLUTEN, REFINED SALT, EMULSIFIER(SOY LECITHIN(E322) SOYBEAN OIL, ACIDITY REGULATOR POTASSIUM CARBONATE(E501), SODIUM CARBONATE(E500), SODIUM PHOSPHATE DIBASIC(E339), CITRIC ACID(E330)], THICKENER[GUAR GUM(E412)], PURIFIED WATER, GREEN TEA FLAVOR OIL SOUP(24.0%): BLACK BEAN PASTE, WATER, ONION, SUGARS (WHITE SUGAR, CORN SYRUP), SOYBEAN OIL, COLOUR(CARAMEL COLORIE150c), ARTIFICIAL BEEF FLAVOR POWDER, ONION POWDER, TEXTURIZED SOY PROTEIN POWDER, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, FLAVOUR ENHANCER(DISODIUM 5-RIBONUCLEOTIED (E635)], MODIFIED POTATO STARCH, ACIDITY REGULATORIPOTASSIUM CARBONATE(E501), SODIUM CARBONATE(E500), SODIUM PHOSPHATE(E339(ii), SODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE(E450] FLAKE(2.3%): TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN, DRIED ONION FLAKE, DRIED CABBAGE FLAKE, FREEZE DRIED GREEN PEAS

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.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • E635 Disodium 5'-ribonucleotide A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavour enhancer Flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (E621) strengthen savoury taste without adding a flavour of their own.
Show 1 more
  • 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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 198th. 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 0074603005922, 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.