Is Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce ultra-processed?

680g Tomato sauces Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Flavouring

22 ingredients
1 additive
Nutri-Score E

Less processed tomato sauces

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

tomato puree (water, tomato paste), tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice, citric acid (acidity control), calcium chloride), soybean oil (processing marker), salt (processing marker), sugar (processing marker), garlic, dehydrated onions, spices (parsley, basil, oregano), citric acid (for tartness), extra virgin olive oil (processing marker), natural flavor (ultra-processing marker)

Additives: E330 Citric acid

As written on the pack

TOMATO PUREE (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), DICED TOMATOES (DICED TOMATOES, TOMATO JUICE, CITRIC ACID [ACIDITY CONTROL], CALCIUM CHLORIDE), SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, SUGAR, ROASTED GARLIC, DEHYDRATED ONIONS, SPICES (PARSLEY, BASIL, OREGANO), CITRIC ACID (FOR TARTNESS), EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, NATURAL FLAVOR.

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.

Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

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.
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

Among 442 tomato sauces

From least to most processed, this one ranks 365th. 40% of the tomato sauces 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 442 tomato sauces, least processed first

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00452267, last edited 31 August 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 E (from A, best, to E).
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.