Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Trader Joe's Grated Parmesan Cheese ultra-processed?

8 oz Cheeses Sold in the United States

Pack of Trader Joe's Grated Parmesan 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:

  • 14 ingredients
  • 2 additives

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

Facts es container 2tsp, 25 *Daily Value* 2% PARMES N CHEESE (pasteurized part skim milk, chee cultures, salt, microbial enzymes), powdered cellulose (anti-caking agent), dist, sold exclusively by (trader joe's), monrovia, ca 91016 0000 000 0000 008 0000, SKU# 69823 2% 4% 0% 0% 0% *MILK from cows not treated with rBST * No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from cows treated vitreated win roST

Additives: E460 Cellulose , E460ii Powdered cellulose

As written on the pack

Facts es container 2tsp, (5g) 25 *Daily Value* 2% PARMES N CHEESE (PASTEURIZED PART SKIM MILK, CHEE CULTURES, SALT, MICROBIAL ENZYMES) POWDERED CELLULOSE (ANTI-CAKING AGENT) CONTAINS MILK DIST , SOLD EXCLUSIVELY BY: TRADER JOE'S, MONROVIA, CA 91016 0000 000 0000 008 0000 - SKU# 69823 2% 4% 0% 0% 0% *MILK from cows not treated with rBST * No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from cows treated vitreated win roST

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.

  • E460 Cellulose A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
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.

  • Cheeses Products in the category "Cheeses" are at least group 3.
  • Anti-caking agent Anti-caking agents are substances which reduce the tendency of individual particles of a foodstuff to adhere to one another.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 1,223 cheeses

From least to most processed, this one ranks 866th. 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 00698238, last edited 9 February 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.