Is STAR Nutrition Protein Bar (Crunchy Salted Caramel) ultra-processed?

55 gram Protein bars Sold in Sweden, Denmark and 2 more countries

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Bulking agent
Emulsifier
Firming agent
Flavouring
Sweetener
Collagen
and 1 more

43 ingredients
4 additives

Less processed protein bars

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

Mollprotein, konsistensmedel (ultra-processing marker) (glycerol (ultra-processing marker)), oligofruktos, sockerfri choklad (sötningsmedel (ultra-processing marker) (mattitol), kakaosmör, helmjölkspulver (processing marker), alemassa, kakaopulver, emulgeringsmedel (ultra-processing marker) (sojalecitin), arom (ultra-processing marker)), kollagen (ultra-processing marker), vatten, kakaosmör, rapsolja, fyllnadsmedel (ultra-processing marker) (polydextros), emelbitar (socker (processing marker), glukossap kakaosmör, mjölkpulver (processing marker), skummjällspulver, kakaomassa, smör (processing marker), emulgeringsmedel (ultra-processing marker) (solrosecitin), salt (processing marker), aromer (ultra-processing marker), terandingsmedel (acaciagummi), surhetsreglerande medel (natriumbikarbonat)), kakaopulver, arom (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), emulgeringsmedel (ultra-processing marker) (sojalecitin), sningsmedel (sukralos), Overdrives konsumtion kan ha laxerande effekt

Additives: E1200 Polydextrose , E422 Glycerol , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

Mollprotein, konsistensmedel (glycerol), oligofruktos, sockerfri choklad (sötningsmedel (mattitol), kakaosmör, helmjölkspulver, alemassa, kakaopulver, emulgeringsmedel (sojalecitin), arom), hydrolyserat kollagen, vatten, kakaosmör, rapsolja, fyllnadsmedel (polydextros), emelbitar (socker, glukossap kakaosmör, mjölkpulver, skummjällspulver, kakaomassa, smör, emulgeringsmedel (solrosecitin), salt, aromer, terandingsmedel (acaciagummi), surhetsreglerande medel (natriumbikarbonat)), kakaopulver, arom, salt, emulgeringsmedel (sojalecitin), sningsmedel (sukralos) Overdrives konsumtion kan ha laxerande effekt.

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.

E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
Bulking agent Bulking agents are substances which contribute to the volume of a foodstuff without contributing significantly to its available energy value.
Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
Firming agent Firming agents keep fruit and vegetable tissue crisp or firm through processing and storage.
Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
Sweetener Sweeteners give sweetness with few or no calories, many at hundreds of times the strength of sugar.

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.

Collagen 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.

Butter Butter, the fat churned from cream.
Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
Milk powder Milk powder is milk with the water evaporated off: a preserved form of a whole food rather than an industrial extract.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 426 protein bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 266th. 93% of the protein bars 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 426 protein bars, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 7340028812791, last edited 2 April 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.