Free tool
Is itultra-processed?
Check an ingredient or label
One free analysis per browser. No account needed.
Try one ingredient or paste a complete food label. Berry Pure explains what it means, flags likely NOVA markers and gives full labels a purity-style score.
What this checkercatches
Eight groups of ultra-processed markers, the same plain-English categories the Berry Pure app uses.
Added sugarsSugar listed under other names
SweetenersSugar-free sweeteners made in a lab
Gums and bindersKeep mixed ingredients from splitting
FlavouringsLab-made flavours that mimic the real thing
ColoursDyes that change the food's colour
PreservativesChemicals that make food last longer
Oils and fatsHeavily processed oils and fats
Other markersIndustrial ingredients you would not use at homeWhat counts as ultra-processed?
The NOVA system, used in most nutrition research, sorts food into four groups by how processed it is. Group 1 is whole food: an apple, plain oats, milk. Group 2 covers kitchen ingredients like oil and salt. Group 3 is processed food, things like cheese, canned vegetables or fresh bread, made by combining groups 1 and 2.
Group 4 is ultra-processed: industrial formulations built from refined substances and additives rather than recognisable food. The giveaway is the ingredient list. Our practical guide to emulsifier names and E-numbers helps decode one common marker group. Sweeteners, flavourings, colours, protein isolates and modified starches can also mark a product as NOVA 4.
That is exactly what this checker looks for. It cannot taste the food, but the markers are reliable: in practice, a label with two or more industrial additives is almost always an ultra-processed product.
Frequently askedquestions
Everything you need to know about scanning your food with Berry Pure.
What is an ultra-processed food?
Under the NOVA classification used in nutrition research, ultra-processed foods (Group 4) are industrial formulations made with ingredients you would not use at home: emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, flavourings, colours, protein isolates and modified starches. Soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant noodles and most ready meals are typical examples.
How does this checker decide?
Berry Pure reads the text you provide and applies the NOVA framework in context. It can explain one ingredient or assess a complete ingredient list for markers such as sweeteners, emulsifiers, flavourings, colours, preservatives, refined oils and protein isolates.
How accurate is the score?
It is an estimate, not a lab result or medical advice. A complete ingredient list may receive a purity-style score from 1 to 10. A single ingredient gets an explanation instead because one ingredient alone is not enough to score a whole product.
Is ultra-processed food always bad for you?
An occasional ultra-processed food is not dangerous on its own. The research concern is diets where UPFs dominate: large studies associate high UPF intake with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Knowing which foods in your kitchen are ultra-processed is the practical first step.
What's the difference between this and the Berry Pure app?
This page gives one free analysis from text you type or paste. The iOS app points your camera at the real label, reads it for you, tracks your whole kitchen zone by zone, suggests cleaner swaps and builds them into a shopping list. Think of this page as one useful check; the app is the habit.
Does this checker store my ingredient lists?
Berry Pure sends the ingredient text through its Cloudflare Worker to Google Gemini only to produce the requested analysis. We do not store it by default or include it in analytics. If you say a result looks wrong, you can optionally send a message and explicitly choose to attach that ingredient list and result. Submitted feedback is kept securely for up to 90 days so we can investigate it, then deleted.
Sources
The claims on this page are based on these publications.
- PHN (2019)Monteiro et al., Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them (the NOVA classification)
- BMJ (2024)Lane et al., Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review
- Cell Metab. (2019)Hall et al., Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain
- Nature (2015)Chassaing et al., Dietary emulsifiers impact the gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
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