Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Simple Truth Lightly Coated Chicken Breast Bites ultra-processed?

Chicken nuggets Sold in the United States

Pack of Simple Truth Lightly Coated Chicken Breast Bites

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:

  • 41 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed chicken nuggets

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

chicken breast meat with rib meat, chicken broth, CONTAINS 2% and LESS OF YELLOW CORN, flour, rice flour, salt, wheat flour, corn, starch, modified tapioca starch, sodium phosphates, maltodextrin, sugar, carrageenan, smoke flavor, chicken, natural flavor, chicken fat, flavoring, hydrolyzed corn protein, dehydrated onion, chicken broth, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium, bicarbonate), garlic, soy sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt), chicken flavor, flavor (sunflower, canola, soybean oil), dextrose, citric acid, guar, GUM, natural flavor

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E407 Carrageenan , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate

As written on the pack

CHICKEN BREAST MEAT WITH RIB MEAT,, CHICKEN BROTH,, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF YELLOW CORN, FLOUR, RICE FLOUR, SALT, WHEAT FLOUR, MODIFIED CORN, STARCH, MODIFIED TAPIOCA STARCH, SODIUM PHOSPHATES,, MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, CARRAGEENAN, SMOKE FLAVOR,, DEHYDRATED COOKED CHICKEN AND NATURAL FLAVOR,, CHICKEN FAT AND FLAVORING, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN,, DEHYDRATED ONION, DEHYDRATED CHICKEN BROTH,, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM, BICARBONATE), DEHYDRATED GARLIC, SOY SAUCE (SOYBEANS,, WHEAT, SALT), CHICKEN FLAVOR, FLAVOR (SUNFLOWER,, CANOLA AND SOYBEAN OIL), DEXTROSE, CITRIC ACID, GUAR, GUM, NATURAL FLAVOR.

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.

  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • 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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • 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.
  • Corn An ingredient mostly produced industrially and rarely used in home kitchens.
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 53 chicken nuggets

From least to most processed, this one ranks 50th. 87% of the chicken nuggets 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 53 chicken nuggets, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0011110122872, last edited 7 October 2025), 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.