Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tasti Protein Bar ultra-processed?

5 Bars / 200g Cereal bars Sold in New Zealand

Pack of Tasti Protein Bar

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:

  • 29 ingredients
  • 4 additives

Less processed cereal 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

Peanuts 34%, Glucose, Soy Nuggets 19% (Isolated Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Dark Choc Compound 12% (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Cocoa Powder, Milk, Emulsifiers (492, Soy Lecithin), Natural Flavour), Cranberries 5% (Cranberries 3.5%, Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Sunflower Oil, Humectant (Glycerol), Sugar, Natural Flavour, Caramelised Sugar, Acid (Citric), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E422 Glycerol , E492 Sorbitan tristearate

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E492 Sorbitan tristearate.

As written on the pack

Peanuts (34%), Glucose, Soy Nuggets (19%) (Isolated Soy Protein, Tapioca Starch, Salt), Dark Choc Compound (12%) (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Cocoa Powder, Milk Solids, Emulsifiers (492, Soy Lecithin), Natural Flavour), Sweetened Dried Cranberries (5%) (Cranberries (3.5%), Sugar, Sunflower Oil), Sunflower Oil, Humectant (Glycerol), Sugar, Natural Flavour, Caramelised Sugar, Acid (Citric), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin).

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.

  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • E492 Sorbitan tristearate Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Humectant Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.

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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
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.

  • 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.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 487 cereal bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 362nd. 91% of the cereal 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 487 cereal bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 9403110065609, last edited 13 January 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.