Cheddar Cheese Popcorn

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

In our analysis, Cheddar Cheese Popcorn scores Ultra-Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

• Artificial Flavors (Natural & Artificial Flavor): Synthetic flavors indicate industrial food production.
• Industrial Enzymes (Sharp Cheddar (Cheese Powder (Cheddar, Blue, Romano (Pasteurized Cultured Milk, Salt & Enzymes), Whey, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Buttermilk, Nonfat Dry Milk, Turmeric Extract, Annatto Extract, Sodium Caseinate, Lactic Acid), Salt, Sour Cream Powder (Sour Cream (Cultured Cream, Nonfat Milk)), Maltodextrin, Onion & Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Yellow 6, Disodium Inosinate Guanylate, Less Than 2% Silicon Dioxide.)): Industrial enzyme use indicates significant processing.

Within Popcorn & Pretzels, this product is more processed than about 79% of the 4,573 products we've analyzed.

Processing classification reflects ingredient and additive analysis, not a judgment of any product's safety, quality, or healthfulness.

What These Ingredients Tell Us

We group Cheddar Cheese Popcorn's ingredients into ingredient categories and note how each relates to food processing. The notes below describe the category, not this specific product's formulation.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Cheese Base (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Dried Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Artificial Color), Cream, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Yellow 5, Lactic Acid, Soy Lecithin, Yellow 6).

Added minerals often compensate for processing.

Vegetable OilsProcessing indicator

In this product: Corn Oil.

Natural oils are minimally processed, hydrogenated oils indicate UPF.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.