Is Samyang cheese buldak spicy ramen ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 42 ingredients
- 11 additives
Less processed instant noodles
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
noodle 73.1% (wheat flour, modified tapioca starch (ultra-processing marker), palm oil, wheat gluten (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), glycerin (ultra-processing marker), soybean oil (processing marker), potassium carbonate (e501i), sodium carbonate (e500), sodium phosphate dibasic, e339ii, citric acid (e330, guar gum (ultra-processing marker) (e412)), purified water (lecithin (ultra-processing marker) (e322)), green tea flavor oil), soup 24.1% (water, artificial cheese flavor powder, soy sauce (processing marker), white sugar (processing marker), artificial chicken flavor powder, soybean oil (processing marker), chili pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic, modified potato starch (ultra-processing marker), chilli, paprika extract (ultra-processing marker), black pepper powder, curry powder), powder 2.8% (mozzarella cheese (processing marker), sesame, laver)
Additives: E160c Paprika extract , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E330 Citric acid , E339ii Disodium phosphate , E412 Guar gum , E422 Glycerol , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E501 Potassium carbonates , E501i Potassium carbonate
As written on the pack
noodle (73,1%) { wheat flour , modified tapioca starch, palm oil, wheat gluten, salt, glycerin, soybean oil, acidity regulator [potassium carbonate anhydrous (e501(i)), sodium carbonate (e500), sodium phosphate dibasic (e339(ii), citric acid (e330)], thickener [guar gum (e412)], purified water, emulsifier [lecithin (e322)], green tea flavor oil}, soup (24,1%) {water, artificial cheese flavor powder, soy sauce, white sugar, artificial chicken flavor powder, soybean oil, chili pepper powder, red pepper powder, onion, garlic, modified potato starch, chilli extract, paprika extract, black pepper powder, curry powder}, powder (2,8%) {mozzarella cheese powder, roasted sesame, roasted laver}, contains: wheat , gluten , soy , milk , sesame
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.
- E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
- 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.
- E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
- 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.
- Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
6 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.
- Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.
- Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.
Among 242 instant noodles
From least to most processed, this one ranks 136th. 93% of the instant noodles here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 8801073141780, last edited 29 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.