Additive patterns
Multiple emulsifiers, stabilizers, gums, flavor terms, colors, or sweeteners can be useful signals to review.
Processing Signals
What Lychee can help surface from a packaged food label.
Ingredient complexity
A long or unfamiliar ingredient list may deserve closer reading, especially when front-of-package claims are simple.
Context limits
A scan cannot measure total diet, dose, frequency, medical needs, or whether a product is appropriate for one person.
Use With Care
Ultra-processed is a useful lens, not a complete food judgment.
Processing-related categories can help shoppers ask better questions about packaged foods. They do not replace nutrition labels, ingredient review, allergy checks, serving-size context, or professional guidance.
Lychee focuses on visible label signals. It cannot know every manufacturing step, exact formulation detail, or personal dietary need from a barcode alone.
Related Lychee Pages
Learn how Lychee handles food scans and evidence limits.
The broader Lychee pages explain food scanning, cosmetic scanning, data sources, and how the app frames uncertainty.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
What counts as ultra-processed food?
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations typically made with ingredients you would not use in a home kitchen, such as emulsifiers, colorants, artificial sweeteners, and flavor compounds. Researchers often group foods with the NOVA scale, where NOVA group 4 is the most processed.
How do I check if a food is ultra-processed?
Scan the barcode with Lychee. The app shows processing-level context, including NOVA classification signals, and flags additive patterns that are common in ultra-processed products.
Is Lychee’s ultra-processed food check free?
Yes. Lychee is free on iOS and Android, and processing-level context is part of the core scan — no account or subscription needed.
Is every ultra-processed food unhealthy?
Not automatically. Processing level is one useful signal among many. Serving size, frequency, overall diet, and individual health needs all matter, which is why Lychee pairs processing signals with caveats instead of verdicts.