Is Cheese Puffs Ultra Processed?
Yes — Ultra-Processed
Cheese puffs (Cheetos, Utz, Wise) are ultra-processed (Level 4). They are made from cornmeal extruded under high pressure and heat, then coated with a seasoning blend of vegetable oil, cheese powder, maltodextrin, MSG, and artificial colors. The extrusion process and complex seasoning system place them firmly in ultra-processed territory.
Key Findings
- •Cheese puffs require two ultra-processing steps: extrusion of the corn base and industrial manufacture of the cheese seasoning coating
- •The cheese flavor comes from spray-dried cheese powder combined with MSG and maltodextrin, not from actual cheese
- •Cheetos Puffs contain about 20 ingredients compared to 3 in plain corn chips (corn, oil, salt)
Why Is Cheese Puffs Ultra-Processed?
Cheese puff production uses extrusion cooking: cornmeal is forced through a die at high temperature and pressure, causing it to expand into the characteristic puffy shape. This is the same industrial process used for most breakfast cereals. The puffs are then coated with a slurry of vegetable oil and seasoning powder. The cheese flavoring is not real cheese — it is spray-dried cheese powder combined with maltodextrin (flavor carrier), MSG and its potentiators (disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate), whey protein concentrate, and artificial colors like Yellow 6 for the bright orange coating.
Cheese Puffs Processing Level Distribution
How 1,000 cheese puffs products break down by processing level:
Average ingredient count: 25.6 · Average nutrition score: 3.6/10
Cheese Puffs Brand Comparison
Comparing the least to most processed cheese puffs products in our database:
| Product | Brand | Level | Score | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Cheese Snacks, Jack | Member's Mark | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Jack Cheese Snacks, Jack | Member's Mark | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Jack Cheese Snacks, Jack | Member's Mark | Processing Level: 1 out of 4 - Minimally Processed | 2.0 | 3 |
| Mild Cheddar Wisconsin Cheese Snacks, Mild Cheddar | Great Midwest | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 5 |
| Sargento, String Cheese Snacks | Sargento | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 4 |
| Sharp White Cheddar Cheese Snacks, Sharp White Cheddar | Black Creek | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 4 |
| Sharp Cheddar Cheese Snacks, Sharp Cheddar | Old Croc | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 4 |
| Gouda Wisconsin Cheese Snacks, Gouda Cheese | Great Midwest | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 5 |
| Colby Jack Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese Snacks, Colby Jack | First Street | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 5 |
| Croc Bites Sharp Cheddar Cheese Snacks | Old Croc | Processing Level: 2 out of 4 - Processed | 3.0 | 4 |
How to Read Cheese Puffs Labels
- 1
The orange color comes from artificial colorings (Yellow 6) or annatto, not from cheese
- 2
Maltodextrin appears as a flavor carrier for the cheese seasoning powder
- 3
MSG is standard in cheese puffs, often alongside disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate as potentiators
- 4
"Cheese seasoning" is spray-dried cheese powder mixed with starches, oils, and flavor enhancers — not melted cheese
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cheetos ultra-processed?
Yes. Cheetos are Level 4 ultra-processed. The corn base is extruded at high temperature and pressure, then coated with a seasoning containing spray-dried cheese, maltodextrin, MSG, artificial color (Yellow 6), and multiple flavor enhancers. They contain about 20 ingredients.
What gives cheese puffs their orange color?
The bright orange color comes primarily from Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) artificial food coloring and sometimes annatto extract. Real cheese would not produce such a vivid, uniform color. The coloring is part of the seasoning powder system.
Are baked cheese puffs less processed?
Baked versions may have slightly less oil but are equally ultra-processed. The extrusion process and seasoning system — the main sources of processing — remain the same. Baked Cheetos contain a similar number of additives as regular Cheetos.