Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Stubb's Sticky Sweet BBQ Sauce ultra-processed?

18 oz (510 g) Barbecue sauces Sold in the United States, Australia and Germany

Pack of Stubb's Sticky Sweet BBQ Sauce

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:

  • 18 ingredients
  • No additives

Less processed barbecue sauces

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

tomato puree (water, tomato paste), brown sugar, sugar, apple cider vinegar, distilled vinegar, molasses, water, corn starch, salt, spices (including paprika), onion, contains less than 0.5% of (garlic), natural flavor (including hickory smoke)

As written on the pack

TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), BROWN SUGAR, SUGAR, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, DISTILLED VINEGAR, MOLASSES, WATER, CORN STARCH, SALT, SPICES (INCLUDING PAPRIKA), ONION, CONTAINS LESS THAN 0.5% OF: GARLIC, NATURAL FLAVOR (INCLUDING HICKORY SMOKE).

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.
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.

  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 107 barbecue sauces

From least to most processed, this one ranks 17th. 86% of the barbecue sauces 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 107 barbecue sauces, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0734756000105, last edited 5 September 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.