Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Trader Joe's Saujeky Korean Style Noodles with Soy and Sesame Sauce ultra-processed?

Instant noodles Sold in the United States

Pack of Trader Joe's Saujeky Korean Style Noodles with Soy and Sesame Sauce

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:

  • 36 ingredients
  • 3 additives

Less processed instant noodles

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

noodle, packet (soy sauce (water, defatted soy flour, glucose, invert sugar syrup, wheat, salt, caramel color, yeast extract powder, malic acid), shallot seasoning sauce (canola oil, soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), water, shallot, sugar, soy protein, salt, chili sauce (chili pepper, salt), garlic powder, yeast extract powder, natural flavor, glucono-delta-lac-tone, black pepper, paprika extract, alpha tocopherol acetate (to preserve)), sesame oil)

Additives: E150c Ammonia caramel , E160c Paprika extract , E296 Malic acid

Also detected, but not matched to one ingredient: E150c Ammonia caramel.

As written on the pack

NOODLE, PACKET (SOY SAUCE (WATER, DEFATTED SOY FLOUR, GLUCOSE, INVERT SUGAR SYRUP, WHEAT, SALT, CARAMEL COLOR, YEAST EXTRACT POWDER, MALIC ACID), SHALLOT SEASONING SAUCE [CANOLA OIL, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, WHEAT, SALT), WATER, SHALLOT POWDER, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SALT, CHILI SAUCE (CHILI PEPPER, SALT), GARLIC POWDER, YEAST EXTRACT POWDER, NATURAL FLAVOR, GLUCONO-DELTA-LAC-TONE, BLACK PEPPER, PAPRIKA EXTRACT, ALPHA TOCOPHEROL ACETATE (TO PRESERVE)], SESAME OIL)

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.

  • E150c Ammonia caramel Ammonia caramel is a brown colour made by heating sugars with ammonia compounds.
  • E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
  • 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.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Invert sugar Invert sugar is ordinary sugar split into glucose and fructose with acid or enzymes.
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.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.
  • Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
  • Sauce A prepared sauce used as an ingredient.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 242 instant noodles

From least to most processed, this one ranks 89th. 93% of the instant noodles 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 242 instant noodles, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00744720, last edited 11 September 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.