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Jerky & Meat Snacks

Jack Link's, Premium Cuts Beef Jerky

Processing Score
7.5Highly Processed
Nutrition Score
—/10No Data

The processing score reflects 19 ingredients, including MSG, preservatives and emulsifiers or gums. The nutrition score reflects high sodium.

Nutrition Highlights

Good Protein Source

Nutrient Alerts

High Sodium
Data Updated
Oct 18, 2026
UPC
017082470379
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Nutrition Facts
Serving size28 g
Amount per serving
Calories
70
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g
1%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 25mg
8%
Sodium 680mg
30%
Total Carbohydrate 3g
1%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 10g
Calcium 0mg
0%
Iron 1.4mg
8%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Ingredients

13 listed · 6 flagged for review

BEEF, CHOLULA HOT SAUCE [WATER, PEPPERS (ARBOL AND PIQUIN), SALT, VINEGAR, SPICES, XANTHAN GUM], WATER, SUGAR, LESS THAN 2% SALT, MALTODEXTRIN, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, FLAVORING, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, SODIUM ERYTHORBATE, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM NITRITE.

Listed in source order (heaviest first). Select any ingredient to see its category bucket and other products that contain it.

Why Does This Score Highly Processed?

In our analysis, Jack Link's, Premium Cuts Beef Jerky scores Highly Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

  • Chemical Preservatives (Sodium Nitrite): Synthetic preservatives are UPF indicators.
  • Stabilizers & Gums (Cholula Hot Sauce [Water, Peppers (Arbol And Piquin), Salt, Vinegar, Spices, Xanthan Gum]): Industrial stabilizers common in UPF.
  • Other Additives (Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Erythorbate): Miscellaneous additives generally indicate processing.
  • Natural Flavors (Flavoring, Monosodium Glutamate): Despite being natural, these are highly processed extracts.

Within Jerky & Meat Snacks, this product is more processed than about 42% of the 2,448 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 Jack Link's, Premium Cuts Beef Jerky'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.

Sugars & Natural SweetenersProcessing indicator

In this product: Sugar, Maltodextrin.

Natural sugars acceptable in moderation, excessive amounts indicate UPF.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Less Than 2% Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

Food AcidsProcessing indicator

In this product: Citric Acid.

Common in both traditional and industrial foods.

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