Is it ultra-processed?
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Is White Castle Microwavable hamburgers ultra-processed?

Frozen meats Sold in the United States

Pack of White Castle Microwavable hamburgers

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:

  • 34 ingredients
  • 5 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed frozen meats

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

Bun (flour, wheat flour), malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, water, corn syrup, soybean oil, contains 2% and less of (yeast), salt, calcium stearoyl lactylate, vital wheat gluten, corn syrup solids, guar gum, monoglycerides, oat fiber, monocalcium phosphate, sodium alginate, wheat flour, xanthan gum, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), enzymes, hamburger (beef, water), dried onion, salt, pepper

Additives: E341 Calcium phosphates , E341i Monocalcium phosphate , E401 Sodium alginate , E412 Guar gum , E415 Xanthan gum

As written on the pack

Bun: enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, corn syrup, soybean oil, contains 2% or less of: yeast, salt, calcium stearoyl lactylate, vital wheat gluten, corn syrup solids, guar gum, monoglycerides, oat fiber, monocalcium phosphate, sodium alginate, wheat flour, xanthan gum, ascorbic acid (vitamin c), enzymes. hamburger: beef. water, dried onion, salt, pepper.

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.

  • E401 Sodium alginate A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
  • E412 Guar gum Guar gum is a thickener ground from the seeds of the guar plant.
  • E415 Xanthan gum Xanthan gum is a thickener made by fermenting sugar with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.

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.
2 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.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 83 frozen meats

From least to most processed, this one ranks 75th. 59% of the frozen meats 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 83 frozen meats, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0082988000067, last edited 15 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.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.