Is Trader Joe's Gochujang Paste ultra-processed?

7.05 oz Sold in the United States

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

Salt

12 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score E

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

rice, tapioca syrup, red pepper seasoning (red pepper, water, salt (processing marker), garlic, onion), water, sea salt (processing marker), ethyl alcohol (to preserve)

Additives: E1510 Ethanol

As written on the pack

RICE, TAPIOCA SYRUP, RED PEPPER SEASONING (RED PEPPER POWDER, WATER, SALT, GARLIC, ONION), WATER, SEA SALT, ETHYL ALCOHOL (TO PRESERVE). MAY CONTAIN SOY, WHEAT.

What makes it processed

Culinary ingredients

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.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00732468, last edited 26 May 2025), 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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.