Is Utz Cheese Balls ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 29 ingredients
- 7 additives
- Nutri-Score E
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
corn meal, vegetable oil (processing marker) (CONTAINS ONE and MORE OF THE FOLLOWING (cottonseed), corn, canola, sunflower, safflower), whey (ultra-processing marker), maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), cheddar cheese (processing marker) (milk, cheese cultures, salt (processing marker), enzymes), milkfat, whey protein (ultra-processing marker), salt (processing marker), mono- and DIGLYCERIDES (ultra-processing marker), buttermilk solids, natural flavor (ultra-processing marker), disodium phosphate, lactic acid, yellow #6 (ultra-processing marker), autolyzed yeast extract, yellow #5 (ultra-processing marker), disodium inosinate (ultra-processing marker), disodium guanylate (ultra-processing marker), artificial flavor (ultra-processing marker)
Additives: E102 Tartrazine , E110 Sunset yellow FCF , E270 Lactic acid , E339ii Disodium phosphate , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E627 Disodium guanylate , E631 Disodium inosinate
As written on the pack
CORN MEAL, VEGETABLE OIL (CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING: COTTONSEED, CORN, CANOLA, SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER), WHEY, MALTODEXTRIN, CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES), MILKFAT, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SALT, MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, BUTTERMILK SOLIDS, NATURAL FLAVOR, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, LACTIC ACID, YELLOW #6, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, YELLOW #5, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, ARTIFICIAL 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.
- E102 Tartrazine Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 5 in the US).
- E110 Sunset yellow FCF Sunset yellow FCF is a synthetic orange azo dye (FD&C Yellow No. 6 in the US).
- E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids are made from fats and glycerol.
- E627 Disodium guanylate Disodium guanylate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
- E631 Disodium inosinate Disodium inosinate is a flavour enhancer usually used together with MSG.
- 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.
- Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
- Milk proteins Milk proteins are proteins separated from milk, such as caseinates and whey protein concentrates, added to adjust texture or raise protein content.
- Whey Whey is the liquid left over from cheese making, usually dried into a powder and used as a cheap source of milk solids, protein and lactose.
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.
- Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.
- Cheese Cheese is milk preserved with salt, cultures and rennet.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0041780003577, last edited 22 October 2025), 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.