Is Sun Hee Udon Noodles ultra-processed?

200 g Udon Sold in the United Kingdom

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

E401 Sodium alginate

9 ingredients
2 additives
Nutri-Score A

Less processed udon

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

Wheat Flour, Water, Tapioca Starch (processing marker), Salt (processing marker), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid), Stabiliser (Sodium Alginate (ultra-processing marker)), For allergens including cereal containing gluten

Additives: E270 Lactic acid , E401 Sodium alginate

As written on the pack

Wheat Flour, Water, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Acidity Regulator: Lactic Acid, Stabiliser: Sodium Alginate. Allergen Advice: For allergens including cereal containing gluten, see ingredients in bold.

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.

E401 Sodium alginate 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.

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.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 12 udon

From least to most processed, this one ranks 8th. 50% of the udon 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 12 udon, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5020580555641, last edited 27 March 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 A (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.