Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Starburst Jellybeans Original ultra-processed?

14 oz Gummi candies Sold in the United States and France

Pack of Starburst Jellybeans Original

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:

  • 19 ingredients
  • 11 additives
  • Nutri-Score E

Less processed candies

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

sugar, corn syrup, modified corn starch, less than 2% of (citric acid), acacia, sodium citrate, apple juice from concentrate, natural and artificial flavors, confectioner's glaze, carnauba wax, colors (red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, titanium dioxide), mineral oil, beeswax

Additives: E102 Tartrazine , E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E129 Allura red , E133 Brilliant blue FCF , E171 Titanium dioxide , E330 Citric acid , E331 Sodium citrates , E901 White and yellow beeswax , E903 Carnauba wax , E905 Synthetic wax , E905a Mineral oil

As written on the pack

sugar, corn syrup, modified corn starch, less than 2% of: citric acid, acacia, sodium citrate, apple juice from concentrate, natural and artificial flavors, confectioner's glaze, carnauba wax, colors (red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, titanium dioxide), mineral oil, beeswax.

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.

  • E102 Tartrazine Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 5 in the US).
  • E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
  • E129 Allura red Allura red AC is a synthetic red azo dye (FD&C Red No. 40 in the US).
  • E133 Brilliant blue FCF Brilliant blue FCF is a synthetic blue dye, listed in the US as FD&C Blue No. 1.
  • E171 Titanium dioxide Titanium dioxide is a white pigment.
  • E901 White and yellow beeswax A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
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  • E903 Carnauba wax Carnauba wax comes from the leaves of a Brazilian palm and gives sweets and coated chocolates their shine.
  • E905 Synthetic wax Microcrystalline wax is a petroleum-derived wax used as a glazing agent.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • 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.
4 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.

  • Candies Products in the category "Candies" are at least group 3.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 119 gummi candies

From least to most processed, this one ranks 105th. 99% of the gummi candies 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 119 gummi candies, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0040000058519, last edited 12 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.
  • 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.