Is Smithfield Bacon ultra-processed?

1 pound Bacon Sold in the United States

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Cured with (water), salt (processing marker), sugar (processing marker), sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite (processing marker)

Additives: E250 Sodium nitrite , E316 Sodium erythorbate

As written on the pack

Cured with: water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

Keep food safe or ferment it, like preservatives and cultures. A sign of processing, not ultra-processing.

E250 Sodium nitrite Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.

From least to most processed, this one ranks 23rd. 36% of the bacon 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.

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0070800041183, last edited 5 August 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.