Is StarKist Tuna Creations Sweet & Spicy ultra-processed?

Canned tunas Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring

15 ingredients
No additives
Nutri-Score B

Less processed canned tunas

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

light tuna, water, sugar (processing marker), white vinegar, tomatoes, red bell peppers, chili, salt (processing marker), garlic, dehydrated onion, natural flavors (ultra-processing marker) (including yeast extract), vegetable broth, corn syrup, paprika

As written on the pack

LIGHT TUNA, WATER, SUGAR, WHITE VINEGAR, TOMATOES, DEHYDRATED RED BELL PEPPERS, CHILI POWDER, SALT, DEHYDRATED GARLIC, DEHYDRATED ONION, NATURAL FLAVORS (INCLUDING YEAST EXTRACT), VEGETABLE BROTH, CORN SYRUP, EXTRACTIVES OF PAPRIKA

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

2 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.
Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 157 canned tunas

From least to most processed, this one ranks 128th. 22% of the canned tunas 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 157 canned tunas, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0080000513083, last edited 2 June 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 B (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.