Is it ultra-processed?
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Is The co-operative cheese ultra-processed?

200g Cheeses Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of The co-operative cheese

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:

  • 13 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed cheeses

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

CO Processed slices made using a blend of cheese, Op palm oil and milk proteins 200ge Ingredients Cheese (Milk 60%, Palm Oil, Water, Milk Proteins, Emulsifying Sets Godum Polyphosphate aldam Phosphate), Modified Potato Starch, Flavouring, Colours, Beta carotene, Paprika extra Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid)

Additives: E160a Carotene , E160ai Beta-carotene

As written on the pack

CO Processed slices made using a blend of cheese, Op palm oil and milk proteins 200ge Ingredients Cheese (Milk (60%) Palm Oil, Water, Milk Proteins, Emulsifying Sets Godum Polyphosphate aldam Phosphate), Modified Potato Starch, Flavouring (contains Milk, Colours (Beta carotene, Paprika extra Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid) Allergy Advice

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.

  • E160a Carotene Carotenes are orange-yellow pigments, either synthesised or extracted from carrots, algae or palm oil.
  • 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.

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.

  • Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
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.

  • Cheeses Products in the category "Cheeses" are at least group 3.
  • Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,223 cheeses

From least to most processed, this one ranks 1120th. 38% of the cheeses 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 1,223 cheeses, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5000128782661, last edited 4 July 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 D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.