Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Trader Joe's Premium Salmon Burgers ultra-processed?

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Pack of Trader Joe's Premium Salmon Burgers

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:

  • 26 ingredients
  • 3 additives
  • Nutri-Score A

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

pink salmon, water, seasoning (tapioca syrup, mirepoix (vegetables (onions, carrots, celery), sugar, cornstarch, salt, onion, sunflower oil, dextrose, antioxidant blend for freshness, rosemary extract, tocopherols, ascorbic acid)), sea salt, carrageenan, yeast extract (yeast extract, maltodextrin, salt), natural flavor

Additives: E306 Tocopherol-rich extract , E392 Extracts of rosemary , E407 Carrageenan

As written on the pack

PINK SALMON, WATER, SEASONING (TAPIOCA SYRUP, MIREPOIX POWDER [VEGETABLES {ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY}, SUGAR, CORNSTARCH, SALT, ONION POWDER. SUNFLOWER OIL, DEXTROSE, ANTIOXIDANT BLEND FOR FRESHNESS [ROSEMARY EXTRACT, TOCOPHEROLS AND ASCORBIC ACID]), SEA SALT, CARRAGEENAN, YEAST EXTRACT (YEAST EXTRACT, MALTODEXTRIN, SALT), NATURAL FLAVOR. CONTAINS SALMON.

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.

  • E407 Carrageenan Carrageenan is a thickener and gelling agent extracted from red seaweed, used widely in dairy desserts, plant-based drinks and processed meats.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.

  • Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
4 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.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00967662, last edited 5 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.
  • 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.