Oscar Mayer vs Hillshire Turkey: Nitrates? 530 vs 600 mg Sodium

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh and Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast both list 60 calories per 2 oz (56 g) serving, but their sodium levels, nitrite wording, and cure ingredients differ. Hillshire lists 600 mg sodium (26% DV) per serving, while Oscar Mayer lists 530 mg (22% DV) for its 9 oz pack. The sections below place the label facts side by side so you can weigh them against your own priorities.

Key takeaways

• Both list 60 calories per 2 oz serving. Hillshire lists 600 mg sodium (26% DV) and Oscar Mayer lists 530 mg (22% DV) for the 9 oz pack.
• Both labels say no nitrates or nitrites are added, but only Hillshire’s ingredient list names cultured celery powder, and its claim mentions celery juice powder.
• Under 9 CFR 317.17, cured-type products made without added nitrate or nitrite carry specific wording, including “Uncured” and “No Nitrate or Nitrite Added.”
• Neither ingredient list contains potassium lactate, sodium lactate, or sodium diacetate. Both share carrageenan, sodium phosphates, caramel color, a modified starch, and vinegar.
• Neither brand page discloses measured nitrate or nitrite levels in the finished product.

What Are Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh and Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Turkey Breast?

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Sliced Deli Meat is sold as a 9 oz pack (UPC 00044700030509), and the same label panel also appears on 16 oz and 22 oz packs. Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Sliced Oven Roasted Turkey Breast is sold as a 9 oz pack (UPC 00044500976502). Both are sliced, refrigerated deli turkey products packaged for sandwiches.

The brand pages describe different production details. Oscar Mayer states that the product is made with 100% turkey breast and should be used within 7 days of opening. Hillshire describes its product as slow roasted for hours. Neither page discloses the percentage of water or broth added, so that figure cannot be compared.

A separate 9.9 oz Oscar Mayer value pack (UPC 00044700105511) lists different numbers, including 50 calories and 500 mg sodium per 2 oz. Those figures do not apply to the 9 oz pack discussed here, so check the UPC on your package before comparing.

Which Label Facts Differ at a Glance for Oscar Mayer and Hillshire Farm?

The table uses the figures printed on each brand’s product page. Values are per 2 oz (56 g) serving unless noted.

Label fact	Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh 9 oz	Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin 9 oz
Calories	60	60
Total fat	1 g	2 g
Saturated fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	25 mg	25 mg
Sodium	530 mg (22% DV)	600 mg (26% DV)
Total carbohydrate	3 g	2 g
Total sugars	1 g	0 g
Added sugars	Not listed on brand page	0 g
Protein	9 g	10 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Potassium	Not disclosed	240 mg
Servings per pack	About 4.5	5 per container
Nitrate or nitrite statement	No nitrates or nitrites added	No nitrates or nitrites added, except those naturally occurring in celery juice powder and sea salt
Gluten-free	Yes, per brand FAQ	Yes, per brand page

Both products list 60 calories and 0 g saturated fat per serving. Hillshire lists 1 g more total fat, 70 mg more sodium, and 1 g more protein. Oscar Mayer lists 1 g of total sugars and 3 g of total carbohydrate, while Hillshire lists 0 g of sugars and 2 g of carbohydrate. Brand pages can change, so compare the Nutrition Facts panel on the package you are holding.

Why Is Sodium Nitrite or Celery Powder on Turkey Breast Labels?

Sodium nitrite and nitrate are curing agents used in many processed meats. Under 9 CFR 317.17(a), any substance used to cure a product must be identified in the ingredients statement, which is why a cure source appears in the ingredient list rather than only in a claim.

Hillshire’s ingredient list includes cultured celery powder, marked with an asterisk that says “to preserve quality.” Oscar Mayer’s list includes cultured dextrose and vinegar, marked as “ingredients to support quality.” Neither ingredient list names sodium nitrite directly.

Does Oscar Mayer turkey have nitrates?

Oscar Mayer’s brand page says the product contains no artificial preservatives and no nitrates or nitrites added, and its FAQ states that no nitrites or nitrates are added. The brand page does not disclose measured nitrate or nitrite levels in the finished product.

Does Hillshire Farm turkey have nitrates?

Hillshire’s brand page says no nitrates or nitrites are added “except for those naturally occurring in the celery juice powder and sea salt.” The page does not disclose how much nitrite its cultured celery powder contributes. The claim names celery juice powder and sea salt, while the ingredient list says cultured celery powder and salt, so the claim and list use different wording.

Is cultured celery powder a nitrate?

Hillshire’s own claim treats it as a source of naturally occurring nitrates: the product has no nitrates or nitrites added “except for those naturally occurring in the celery juice powder and sea salt.” The label does not state how much nitrate or nitrite the cultured celery powder contributes, and neither brand publishes measured levels for the finished product.

How Do the Ingredient Lists Differ Between Oscar Mayer and Hillshire Farm Turkey Breast?

Oscar Mayer’s list begins with turkey breast and water, then modified cornstarch, less than 2% vinegar, salt, cultured dextrose, sugar, sodium phosphates, carrageenan, and caramel color. Hillshire’s list begins with turkey breast and turkey broth, then modified food starch, vinegar, caramel color, carrageenan, cultured celery powder, salt, and sodium phosphates. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, but the brand pages do not disclose percentages.

Both lists share carrageenan, sodium phosphates, caramel color, a modified starch, and vinegar. Sugar and cultured dextrose appear only in Oscar Mayer’s list. Cultured celery powder and turkey broth appear only in Hillshire’s list.

Is carrageenan in Hillshire Farm and Oscar Mayer turkey?

Yes, both ingredient lists include carrageenan. Under 21 CFR 172.620, carrageenan is a permitted food additive, described as a refined hydrocolloid extracted from red seaweed species. The regulation describes the additive’s identity and permitted use. It does not address whether any individual should eat foods that contain it.

Neither list contains potassium lactate, sodium lactate, or sodium diacetate, so those names do not appear on either current ingredient list. For background on the curing agent itself, see Is Sodium Nitrite Safe? Cured Meat, Nitrosamines, and Labels.

Does Sodium Differ Between Oscar Mayer and Hillshire Farm Turkey Breast?

Yes. Hillshire lists 600 mg sodium per 2 oz (26% DV), while the Oscar Mayer 9 oz pack lists 530 mg (22% DV), a difference of 70 mg per serving. The FDA lists the Daily Value for sodium as less than 2,300 mg per day. It considers 20% DV or more per serving high and 5% DV or less low. Both products fall in the high range at 22% and 26% DV.

Per-pack totals depend on how many servings each package contains. The Oscar Mayer page lists about 4.5 servings per 9 oz pack, while the Hillshire page lists 5 servings per container. Because of that difference, comparing per serving is more direct than comparing per pack. The FDA’s guide to the Nutrition Facts label explains how to read %DV and serving sizes.

Who Should Be Cautious With Either Oscar Mayer or Hillshire Farm Turkey Breast?

This section describes which label details different readers may want to check, not what anyone should eat. People who track sodium may notice that both products are above 20% DV per 2 oz serving. People who avoid nitrite sources, for personal or medical reasons, will want to read the cure ingredients and claim wording closely, since Hillshire names a celery-based cure and Oscar Mayer’s list names cultured dextrose instead.

People who follow gluten-free diets will find gluten-free statements on both brand pages. The label facts discussed here do not address use during pregnancy, in childhood, or with kidney disease, so those questions need an answer from a clinician or registered dietitian.

How Do You Spot Nitrite Sources and Preservative Claims on Turkey Breast Labels?

• Read the ingredient list for cure sources such as cultured celery powder, celery juice powder, or sodium nitrite. Under 9 CFR 317.17(a), cure substances must be identified.
• Compare the claim with the ingredient list. The Hillshire claim and list use different names for the celery ingredient.
• Look for “Uncured” before the product name and “No Nitrate or Nitrite Added” next to it. Under 9 CFR 317.17(b) and (c)(1), those terms apply to cured-type products made without added nitrate or nitrite.
• Look for a “Not Preserved” statement with a refrigeration instruction. Under 9 CFR 317.17(c)(2), that statement is required unless the product is thermally processed to F0 3+, pH 4.6 or less, or water activity 0.92 or less.
• Check the serving size, then compare sodium per serving against the 20% DV threshold.
• Check the opening window. Oscar Mayer states to use the product within 7 days of opening.

The brand pages do not show the “Uncured” or “Not Preserved” wording, so this comparison cannot confirm whether either package carries it. Readers can check the physical package for those terms. Preservatives such as potassium sorbate appear in other foods, but neither turkey ingredient list includes it.

What Else Should You Check on Turkey Breast Labels?

This comparison covers only these two products, so other deli turkeys are not evaluated here. Many deli turkey products use different cure sources, sodium levels, and claims, so the same label checks apply to any product you consider. Start with serving size, sodium per serving, the names of cure ingredients, and whether the front-of-pack claim matches the ingredient list.

To see each ingredient in an Oscar Mayer or Hillshire Farm package explained one by one with cited evidence, scan the barcode with the Aurascan app.

Related reading: Does Oscar Mayer Bacon Have Nitrites? Yes, and So Does Hormel.

Related reading: for deli-counter turkey, see Is Applegate Healthier Than Boar's Head?.