Sauce, Nacho Cheese

Why Does This Score Highly Processed?

In our analysis, Sauce, Nacho Cheese scores Highly Processed. That classification is shaped by ingredients commonly associated with ultra-processed foods:

• Modified Starches (Modified Food Starch): Chemical modification is a hallmark of UPF.
• Natural Flavors (Natural Flavors): Despite being natural, these are highly processed extracts.
• Emulsifiers (Datem, Mono And Diglycerides): Industrial emulsifiers indicate UPF.

Within Ketchup & Mustard, this product is more processed than about 42% of the 6,563 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 Sauce, Nacho 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: Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following: Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, Soybean Oil).

Natural oils are minimally processed, hydrogenated oils indicate UPF.

Salt & SodiumProcessing indicator

In this product: Of: Salt.

Basic preservative, but high amounts indicate processing.

MineralsProcessing indicator

In this product: Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate.

Added minerals often compensate for processing.

Food AcidsProcessing indicator

In this product: Lactic Acid, Acetic Acid, Citric Acid.

Common in both traditional and industrial foods.

Natural ColorsProcessing indicator

In this product: Annatto.

Natural sources but still indicate processing.