Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Samyang Ramen Beef Flavor ultra-processed?

3 oz (85 g) Instant noodles Sold in Sweden

Pack of Samyang Ramen Beef Flavor

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:

  • 43 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 (Wheat flour, Palm oil, Modified tapioca starch, Salt, Soybean oil, Acidity regulator (e501, e500, e339, e330), Sugar solution, e420, Thickener (e412), Emulsifiers (e322, e452, e450)), Soup (Salt, Glucose, Flavor enhancer (e621, e631, e627), Sugar, Seasoning (Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Beef flavor), Spices (Onion, White pepper, Garlic, Ginger powder, Red pepper), Rice, Color (e150b), Maltodextrin, Acid (e296), Soybean oil)

Additives: E150b Caustic sulphite caramel , E296 Malic acid , E322 Lecithins , E330 Citric acid , E339 Sodium phosphates , E412 Guar gum , E420 Sorbitol , E450 Diphosphates , E452 Polyphosphates , E500 Sodium carbonates , E501 Potassium carbonates , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate

As written on the pack

Noodle {Wheat flour, Palm oil, Modified tapioca starch, Salt, Soybean oil, Acidity regulator (E501, E500, E339, E330), Sugar solution, E420, Thickener (E412), Emulsifiers (E322, E452, E450).} Soup {Salt, Glucose, Flavor enhancer (E621, E631, E627) Sugar, Seasoning (Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Beef flavor), Spices(Onion powder, White pepper powder, Garlic powder, Ginger powder, Red pepper powder), Rice powder, Color(E150b), Maltodextrin, Acid (E296) Soybean oil.}

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.

  • E150b Caustic sulphite caramel 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.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • E452 Polyphosphates Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
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  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • E627 Disodium guanylate Disodium guanylate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
  • E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Thickener Thickeners, often gums or modified starches, make liquids more viscous so that a product feels richer than its ingredients alone would make it.
  • 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.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
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 241st. 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 7350035210114, last edited 10 May 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.