Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Samyang Sogokimyun ultra-processed?

120g Instant noodles Sold in the United States and Germany

Pack of Samyang Sogokimyun

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:

  • 57 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 starch, wheat gluten, salt, potato starch, soybean oil, sugar solution, d-sorbitol solution, potassiuim carbonate, guar gum, glycerin fatty acid ester, lectihin, sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate dibasic, sodium polyphosphate, riboflavin, pyro sodiumphosphate, citric acid), Soup (Salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, monosodium l-glutamate, sugar, artificial beef seasoning flavor, artificial pork flavor seasoning powder, red pepper seasoning powder, artificial bacon flavor, artificial beef flavor, beef extract (beef extract (ehbp-nc1), sugar, soy sauce, garlic, yeast extract, glycine, alanine, maltodextrin, black pepper), black pepper, onion, kimchi seasoning powder, palm oil, garlic, oleoresin capsicum coating powder, dl-malic acid, garlic, oleoresin paprika, sodium 5'-inosinate, sodium 5'-guanylate), Flake (dried carrot, welsh onion, cabbage, dried radish green)

Additives: E101 Riboflavin , E101i Riboflavin , E14XX Modified Starch , E160c Paprika extract , E296 Malic acid , E412 Guar gum , E452 Polyphosphates , E452i Sodium polyphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500i Sodium carbonate , E502 Carbonates , E621 Monosodium glutamate , E640 Glycine and its sodium salt , E640i Glycine

As written on the pack

Noodle (Wheat flour, palm oil, modified starch, wheat gluten, salt, potato starch, soybean oil, sugar solution, d-sorbitol solution, potassiuim carbonate, guar gum, glycerin fatty acid ester, lectihin, sodium carbonate, sodium phosphate dibasic, sodium polyphosphate, riboflavin, pyro sodiumphosphate, citric acid) Soup (Salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, monosodium l-glutamate, sugar, artificial beef seasoning flavor, artificial pork flavor seasoning powder, red pepper seasoning powder, artificial bacon flavor, artificial beef flavor, beef extract powder (beef extract [ehbp-nc1], sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, yeast extract, glycine, alanine, maltodextrin, black pepper powder), black pepper powder, onion powder, kimchi seasoning powder, palm oil, garlic powder, oleoresin capsicum coating powder, dl-malic acid, garlic concentrate, oleoresin paprika, sodium 5'-inosinate, sodium 5'-guanylate) Flake (dried carrot, dried welsh onion, dried cabbage, dried radish green)

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.

  • E101 Riboflavin 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.
  • E14xx Modified Starch Modified starches (E1400 to E1452) are starches treated physically, with enzymes or chemically so that they thicken and hold up to heating, freezing or acidity better than ordinary starch.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • 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.
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
Show 2 more
  • E640 Glycine and its sodium salt A food additive authorised for industrial food production.
  • 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.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
5 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 212th. 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 0074603005892, last edited 25 March 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.