1 · Unprocessed or minimally processed
Foods close to their original form, with cleaning, drying, chilling or similar basic steps. Examples: apples, dried beans, plain oats, eggs.
Is it ultra-processed?
Paste a label, get a plain answer
Check a food’s ingredient list for common processing clues, then see what the words mean and how NOVA groups foods.
Check a labelFree, instant, and done in your browser.
Check a label
Paste the ingredients as they appear on the pack. Commas, semicolons and parenthetical notes are read as separators.
How the check works
- Read. We split the list at commas, semicolons and brackets.
- Match. Each ingredient is compared with common ultra-processing markers: sugars with other names, modified or extracted ingredients, and cosmetic additives.
- Group. One marker or more points to NOVA 4; plain foods with salt, sugar or oil point to NOVA 3; one or two whole foods point to NOVA 1–2.
Tip: the earlier an ingredient appears, the more of it there is.
Ingredients spotted
What gave it away
Take it to the shop: the free fridge-door label checklist
One page with NOVA groups in plain words, eight giveaway ingredient groups to tick, and simple swap lines.
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The four NOVA groups in plain words
NOVA sorts foods by the extent and purpose of processing. The ingredient list is one clue; the food and how it is made also matter.
2 · Processed culinary ingredients
Ingredients used to prepare and season food, usually obtained from group 1 foods. Examples: oil, butter, sugar, salt.
3 · Processed foods
Group 1 foods combined with ingredients such as salt, sugar or oil. Examples: simple bread, cheese, canned beans.
4 · Ultra-processed foods
Industrial formulations that often include extracted ingredients or additives uncommon in home cooking. Examples can include soft drinks, packaged snack bars and some instant meals.
10 label giveaways
These words can be useful clues in a label. They are not a stand-alone score.
- Sweeteners: dextrose, maltodextrin, invert sugar or glucose syrup.
- Protein isolates: soy, whey or other protein isolates.
- Modified ingredients: modified starch, hydrolysed protein or hydrogenated oil.
- Added flavour: flavouring, artificial flavour or flavour enhancer.
- Emulsifiers: E471, mono- and diglycerides or polysorbate.
- Texture agents: xanthan gum, carrageenan or cellulose gum.
- Intense sweeteners: sucralose, acesulfame or aspartame.
- Added colours: caramel colour or colour additives in the E100 range.
- Glazing and moisture agents: glazing agent or humectant.
- Other functional additives: firming, bulking, thickening or anti-foaming agents.
Easy swaps
Small, practical ideas for choosing a less elaborate option when it suits you.
Flavoured yogurtPlain yogurt + fruit
Packaged sliced bread with emulsifiersBakery bread: flour, water, yeast, salt
Instant noodlesPlain noodles + stock
Flavoured instant oatsPlain oats + cinnamon or fruit
Sweetened breakfast cerealPlain cereal + fresh fruit
Flavoured snack barNuts and dried fruit
Packaged pasta sauceTomatoes, oil, herbs and salt
Sweetened drinkWater or sparkling water + citrus
Why people are checking labels this week
A study published 15 October 2026 in JAMA Network Open, co-authored at McMaster University, linked the highest ultra-processed food intake (about 45% of calories) with higher odds of MRI-detected vascular brain-injury markers than the lowest intake (about 15%). Statistics Canada puts ultra-processed foods at 45.7% of Canadians’ calories on average. The study reported an association: higher intake was linked with those scan markers.
Frequently asked questions
What does ultra-processed mean?
In the NOVA framework, ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations made with ingredients and processes not commonly used in home cooking, often including additives that shape flavour, texture or shelf life.
Does one marker prove a food is ultra-processed?
No single ingredient is a complete classification. This checker flags common markers as clues; recipes and the wider food context matter.
What if an ingredient is not listed here?
The checker only matches selected label terms. A missing match does not classify a food; use the full ingredient list and how the food is made as context.
What is NOVA 3?
NOVA group 3 covers processed foods made by adding ingredients such as salt, sugar or oil to group 1 foods, for example simple bread, cheese or canned vegetables.