Is Violife Mexican Style Shreds ultra-processed?

8 oz Sold in the United States

Yes, it's ultra-processed

1 Unprocessed
2 Kitchen staple
3 Processed
4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

Dextrose
Glucose
Modified starch
E160c Paprika extract

18 ingredients
1 additive

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Filtered Water, Coconut Oil (processing marker), Modified Tapioca Starch (ultra-processing marker), Modified Potato starch (ultra-processing marker), modified Corn starch (ultra-processing marker), Potato Starch (processing marker), Salt (processing marker) (Sea Salt), Dextrose (ultra-processing marker), Calcium Phosphate, Lentil Protein, Cheddar flavor, Mozzarella flavor, Monterey Jack flavor, Olive, Paprika Extract (ultra-processing marker), Beta Carotene, Vitamin B12

Additives: E160c Paprika extract

As written on the pack

Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Tapioca Starch, Modified Potato starch, modified Corn starch), Potato Starch, Salt (Sea Salt), Dextrose, Calcium Phosphate, Lentil Protein, Cheddar flavor, Mozzarella flavor, Monterey Jack flavor, Olive Extract, Paprika Extract , Beta Carotene, Vitamin B12

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.

E160c Paprika extract Paprika extract is a red-orange colour extracted from paprika peppers.
Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.

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.

Dextrose Dextrose is pure glucose crystallised from starch-derived syrup.
Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.

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.
Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
Vegetable oil Vegetable oils are pressed or extracted from seeds, nuts and fruits.

How the NOVA groups work

About this information

Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0810934031137, last edited 5 June 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.