Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Trader Joe's Spicy Fermented Napa Cabbage ultra-processed?

300g 10.58oz Kimchi Sold in the United States

Pack of Trader Joe's Spicy Fermented Napa Cabbage

It's processed, but not ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Whole foods combined with:

  • 8 ingredients
  • 1 additive
  • Nutri-Score C

Less processed fermented vegetables

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

napa cabbage, radish, onion, red pepper, salt, garlic, vinegar, lactic acid

Additives: E270 Lactic acid

As written on the pack

NAPA CABBAGE, RADISH, ONION, RED PEPPER POWDER, SALT, GARLIC, VINEGAR, LACTIC ACID

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

Among 20 kimchi

From least to most processed, this one ranks 16th. 20% of the kimchi 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 20 kimchi, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00686440, last edited 29 May 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 C (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.