Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Smartfood Cheetos Cheddar Popcorn ultra-processed?

198.4 g Crisps Sold in the United States

Pack of Smartfood Cheetos Cheddar Popcorn

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:

  • 15 ingredients
  • 4 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed crisps

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

popcorn, vegetable oil (canola, corn), cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, corn maltodextrin, NATURAL and ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, whey glutamate, lactic acid, citric acid, monosodium glutamate, protein, yellow 6

Additives: E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E270 Lactic acid , E330 Citric acid , E621 Monosodium glutamate

As written on the pack

POPCORN, VEGETABLE OIL (CANOLA, CORN), CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, WHEY GLUTAMATE, LACTIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, YELLOW 6.

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.

  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E621 Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, made by fermentation and used to strengthen savoury taste.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
3 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.

  • Salty snacks Products in the category "Salty snacks" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,471 crisps

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1091st. 64% of the crisps 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 1,471 crisps, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0028400763790, last edited 31 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of E (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.