Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Thomas' Light Multi Grain English Muffins ultra-processed?

12 OZ (340 g) English muffins Sold in the United States and France

Pack of Thomas' Light Multi Grain English Muffins

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:

  • 30 ingredients
  • 6 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Less processed english muffins

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

enriched wheat flour (flour, malted barley flour, reduced iron, niacin, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin b1), riboflavin, folic acid), water, modified wheat starch, cellulose fiber farina, wheat gluten, polydextrose, yeast, wheat, rye, corn, oats, millet, triticale, brown rice, barley, calcium propionate, sorbic acid (to preserve freshness), wheat starch, whey, grain vinegar, salt, malt, flaxseed, natural flavors, xanthan gum, SOY, soy lecithin, made in a bakery that may also use tree nuts

Additives: E1200 Polydextrose , E200 Sorbic acid , E282 Calcium propionate , E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin , E415 Xanthan gum

As written on the pack

ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR [FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, REDUCED IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID], WATER, MODIFIED WHEAT STARCH, CELLULOSE FIBER FARINA, WHEAT GLUTEN, POLYDEXTROSE, YEAST, WHOLE GRAINS (WHEAT, RYE, CORN, OATS, MILLET, TRITICALE, BROWN RICE, BARLEY), CALCIUM PROPIONATE AND SORBIC ACID (TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS), WHEAT STARCH, WHEY, GRAIN VINEGAR, SALT, MALT, FLAXSEED, NATURAL FLAVORS, XANTHAN GUM, SOY, SOY LECITHIN. CONTAINS WHEAT, SOY, MILK. MADE IN A BAKERY THAT MAY ALSO USE TREE NUTS.

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.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
  • 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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
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.
  • Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 31 english muffins

From least to most processed, this one ranks 29th. 90% of the english muffins 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 31 english muffins, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0048121276201, last edited 20 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.
  • 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.