The science and politics behind the panic over ultraprocessed foods

Ultraprocessed foods are industrially manufactured products made from ingredients rarely found in home kitchens and containing little to no whole foods.

They are designed for mass production, long shelf life, and convenience, often using techniques like separating whole foods into substances, chemically altering ingredients, or adding cosmetic additives such as food dyes.

Examples include sodas, deli meats, frozen dinners, and packaged snacks.

The term ultraprocessing was coined in 2009 by Brazilian epidemiologist Carlos Monteiro as part of the NOVA classification system, which categorizes foods into four groups based on processing level: unprocessed or minimally processed foods (Category 1), processed culinary ingredients (Category 2), processed foods (Category 3), and ultraprocessed foods (Category 4).

Unlike homemade versions of foods like cakes, industrially produced versions with additives are classified as ultraprocessed, even if their nutritional content is similar.