Cheddar Cheese Sharp Snack, Cheddar Cheese

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

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

• Corn-Based Sweeteners (Corn Syrup Solids): HFCS is a hallmark of ultra-processed foods.
• Modified Starches (Modified Corn Starch): Chemical modification is a hallmark of UPF.
• Processed Dairy Ingredients (Whey Protein Concentrate): Isolated proteins and modified ingredients indicate UPF.
• Natural Flavors (Natural Flavor): Despite being natural, these are highly processed extracts.
• Stabilizers & Gums (Guar Gum, Sodium Alginate): Industrial stabilizers common in UPF.

Within Cheese, this product is more processed than about 94% of the 19,171 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 Sharp Snack, Cheddar Cheese'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.

Vegetable OilsProcessing indicator

In this product: Soybean Oil And/Or Canola Oil.

Natural oils are minimally processed, hydrogenated oils indicate UPF.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Sodium Phosphate.

Added minerals often compensate for processing.

Natural ColorsProcessing indicator

In this product: Annatto.

Natural sources but still indicate processing.

Food AcidsProcessing indicator

In this product: Sorbic Acid, Lactic Acid.

Common in both traditional and industrial foods.