The World Health Organization is linking ultra-processed food, alcohol, tobacco, and fossil fuel industries to millions of deaths in Europe every year.
Ultra-processed food is making headlines. In our rolling coverage of UPF, we unpack the good, the bad, and the confusion around this classification of products. Here’s the latest…
Better-for-you NPD is high on the priority list for producers in 2024, driven no doubt by reports of growing concern among consumers that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are damaging for personal health and the environment.
European producers in 2024 will focus on informing consumers about processed and ultra-processed foods and drinks, potentially lowering content in formulations to encourage plant-based meat or dairy alternatives uptake.
Intensifying criticism of ultra-processed foods without nuanced consideration of their nutrition could unfairly tar some plant-based meats and milks that “compare well with their animal-based counterparts,” which may be viewed more favorably because they...
Following significant controversy over the health implications of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), Mintel urges brands to promote self-education on the topic whilst improving transparency to retain consumer trust.
New research out of Spain shows that when pregnant mice were fed emulsifiers, metabolic impairments, cognition deficits and anxiety-like traits were observed in their offspring. “Our data call for nutritional advice during gestation,” note the study authors.
In the UK, government scientists have pointed to ‘uncertainties’ surrounding the quality of evidence linking consumption of ultra-processed foods with adverse health outcomes.
As criticism around ultra-processed food builds, a panel of nutritionists and food engineers argue the practice has huge potential in producing safer and environmentally sustainable nutrition to the masses.
Acknowledging the pain points of the NOVA classification system, researchers have developed a machine learning algorithm to accurately predict the degree of processing for any food.
Fresh research suggests consumers struggle to distinguish between ultra-processed and other processed foods, but want to cut back on both. Is a lack of trust at play?
Higher consumption of foods that are classified as ultra-processed may be linked to increased risk of both developing and dying from cancer, according to the findings of a study lead by Imperial College London.
Vegetarian diets are often characterised as healthy options delivering higher nutritional quality. But the surge seen in recent years of plant-based analogue products that many classify as ultra-processed has placed this reputation under pressure. Are...
As the first UN Food Systems Summit kicks off in New York today (23 September), many hope this historic event will begin to chart a roadmap to a more sustainable, healthy and equitable food system. However, the role that food industry money has played...
Global health organisation Vital Strategies says that consumption of so-called ultra-processed foods and rising obesity rates are linked. The group wants to see a change in direction when it comes to food policy to ‘empower’ people to move away from these...
What do canned baked beans, low fat fruit yogurt, ice cream, pre-packaged sliced bread, ready-made pasta sauces, and breakfast cereals with added sugar all have in common?
With backlash mounting over ultra-processed foods, a research professor from Ghent University has balanced out the argument – making a strong case for processing where appropriate.
A cardiologist has blamed the food industry for ‘normalising’ ultra-processed junk food as more evidence emerges suggesting poor diet is the root cause behind increased mortality from Covid-19.
French start-up Siga has developed a label that ranks food according to its degree of processing. The system aims to help consumers select the ‘most natural and healthy’ products on the shelf, CEO Aris Christodoulou tells FoodNavigator.
The developers of ScanUp, a French app that allows consumers to scan food products and see just how ‘processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’ they are, are working with manufacturers to develop simple products that score more highly.
The rise of nutritionalism – focusing on nutrient content rather than the whole food – has created a ‘nutritional cacophony’ that leaves people confused. Nutritionist Bernard Lavallée explains how manufacturers can create healthy processed foods.
French trade group ANIA has reacted angrily to the parliamentary report last week that called for tough measures to make 'ultra-processed' food healthier through stricter regulations.
