Fruit & Grain Cereal Bars, Strawberry

Why Does This Score Ultra-Processed?

In our analysis, Fruit & Grain Cereal Bars, Strawberry scores Ultra-Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

• Stabilizers & Gums (Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum): Industrial stabilizers common in UPF.
• Emulsifiers (Soy Lecithin): Industrial emulsifiers indicate UPF.
• Natural Flavors (Natural Flavor): Despite being natural, these are highly processed extracts.

Within Dried Fruit & Fruit Snacks, this product is more processed than about 98% of the 7,520 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 Fruit & Grain Cereal Bars, Strawberry'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: Strawberry Flavored Filling (Sugar, Glycerin, Corn Syrup, Strawberry Puree, Apple Puree [Apples, Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate], Maltodextrin, Polydextrose, Water, Apple Powder, Pectin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Alginate, Sodium Citrate, Mono- And Diglycerides, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Dicalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Red 40, Caramel Color), Invert Sugar, Sugar, Fructose, and 2 more.

Natural sugars acceptable in moderation, excessive amounts indicate UPF.

Vegetable OilsProcessing indicator

In this product: Canola Oil.

Natural oils are minimally processed, hydrogenated oils indicate UPF.

Food Bases & AlkalisProcessing indicator

In this product: Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate), Sodium Bicarbonate.

Common in baking, excessive use indicates processing.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

Natural PreservativesProcessing indicator

In this product: Sodium Propionate.

Natural sources but industrial application.

Natural ColorsProcessing indicator

In this product: Caramel Color, Annatto.

Natural sources but still indicate processing.

Synthetic VitaminsProcessing indicator

In this product: Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, and 2 more.

Fortification often compensates for processing losses.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Calcium Carbonate, Reduced Iron, Zinc Oxide.

Added minerals often compensate for processing.