Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Trader Joe's Dill Pickle Mini Falafel ultra-processed?

12 oz Refrigerated falafel Sold in the United States

Pack of Trader Joe's Dill Pickle Mini Falafel

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:

  • 35 ingredients
  • 7 additives
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed refrigerated falafel

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

garbanzo beans, water, dill pickle with juice (cucumber, garlic, dill, water, vinegar, salt), onion, canola oil, dill pickle seasoning (maltodextrin, sea salt, spices (mustard, dill weed, parsley, black pepper, dill seed), garlic, vinegar, citric acid (acidulant), onion), dill, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate), garlic, sesame seed, parsley

Additives: E330 Citric acid , E341 Calcium phosphates , E341i Monocalcium phosphate , E450 Diphosphates , E450i Disodium diphosphate , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate

As written on the pack

GARBANZO BEANS, WATER, DILL PICKLE WITH JUICE (CUCUMBER, GARLIC, DILL, WATER, VINEGAR, SALT), ONION, CANOLA OIL, DILL PICKLE SEASONING (MALTODEXTRIN, SEA SALT, SPICES [MUSTARD, DILL WEED, PARSLEY, BLACK PEPPER, DILL SEED], GARLIC, VINEGAR POWDER, CITRIC ACID [ACIDULANT], ONION), DILL, BAKING POWDER (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM SULFATE), GARLIC, SESAME SEED, PARSLEY

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.

  • E450 Diphosphates Diphosphates are phosphate salts used as raising agents in baking powder, and to hold water in processed meats and cheese.

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.

  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
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.

  • Meals Products in the category "Meals" are at least group 3.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 17 refrigerated falafel

From least to most processed, this one ranks 16th. 35% of the refrigerated falafel 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 17 refrigerated falafel, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00720243, last edited 1 October 2023), 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.