Is it ultra-processed?
Menu

Is TREK High Protein Lotus Biscoff ultra-processed?

Protein bars Sold in the United Kingdom and the United States

Pack of TREK High Protein Lotus Biscoff

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:

  • 38 ingredients
  • 6 additives

Less processed protein bars

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

Soya protein, caramelised biscuit spread 16% (biscuits 58% (wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oils (palm* vegetable oils, rapeseed vegetable oils), candy sugar, sodium hydrogen carbonate, soya flour, salt, cinnamon), rapeseed oil, sugar, lecithins, citric acid), chocolate flavour coating 15% (vegetable oils (palm kernel* vegetable oils, palm* vegetable oils, sunflower vegetable oils), dietary fibre (oligofructose), pea protein, tiger nut flour, fat-reduced cocoa powder, lecithins, natural vanilla flavouring), corn fibre, chicory fibre, glycerol, soya flour, palm oil, natural flavourings, salt, fat-reduced cocoa powder, steviol glycosides from Stevia

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E330 Citric acid , E422 Glycerol , E500 Sodium carbonates , E500ii Sodium hydrogen carbonate , E960a Steviol glycosides from Stevia

As written on the pack

Soya protein, caramelised biscuit spread (16%) [caramelised biscuits (58%) (wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oils (palm*, rapeseed), candy sugar syrup, raising agent: sodium hydrogen carbonate, soya flour, salt, cinnamon), rapeseed oil, sugar, emulsifier: lecithins (soya), acid: citric acid], chocolate flavour coating (15%) [vegetable oils (palm kernel*, palm*, sunflower), dietary fibre (oligofructose), pea protein, tiger nut flour, fat-reduced cocoa powder, emulsifier: lecithins, natural vanilla flavouring], corn fibre, chicory fibre, humectant: glycerol, soya flour, palm oil*, natural flavourings, salt, fat-reduced cocoa powder, sweetener: steviol glycosides from Stevia.

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.

  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • E422 Glycerol Glycerol is a sweet-tasting liquid used to keep products moist and soft.
  • 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.

  • Vegetable fiber Isolated plant fibres, such as inulin, oat fibre or bamboo fibre, are extracted industrially and added to change texture or support "source of fibre" claims.
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 426 protein bars

From least to most processed, this one ranks 170th. 93% of the protein bars 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 426 protein bars, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 5060088700990, last edited 25 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.