Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Tyson Baked Chicken Breast Nuggets ultra-processed?

25 oz Chicken nuggets Sold in the United States

Pack of Tyson Baked Chicken Breast Nuggets

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:

  • 22 ingredients
  • No additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed chicken nuggets

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

Boneless, skinless chicken breast with rib meat, wheat flour, water, contains 2% and less of the following (brown sugar), sugar, corn starch, paprika, garlic powder, maltodextrin, natural flavors, onion powder, palm oil, salt, soybean oil, spice, sugar, tapioca maltodextrin, wheat gluten, yeast, and yeast extract

As written on the pack

Boneless, skinless chicken breast with rib meat, wheat flour, water, contains 2% or less of the following: brown sugar, caramelized sugar, corn starch, extractives of paprika, garlic powder, maltodextrin, natural flavors, onion powder, palm oil, salt, soybean oil, spice, sugar, tapioca maltodextrin, wheat gluten, yeast, and yeast extract.

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.

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.

  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • 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

Among 53 chicken nuggets

From least to most processed, this one ranks 29th. 87% of the chicken nuggets 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 53 chicken nuggets, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0023700050557, last edited 10 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.