The health impacts of eating too many have raised concerns. Find out how to identify them, and why you might want to limit them in your diet
words EMMA HARTFIELD
behind the headlines
Ultra-processed food (UPF) is something you wouldn’t be able to recreate in your own kitchen. If you don’t recognise some of the ingredients on the label, it’s likely to be an ultra-processed food. It’s manufactured to be convenient and cheap, have a long shelf-life and generally be ready to eat or heat. These foods are designed to be hyper-palatable, so you’re likely to want to eat more of them.
Typically, industrially produced UPFs contain additives, such as artificial flavours, emulsifiers, colouring and sweeteners (which are often cheaper and less likely to go off than natural ingredients), as well as preservatives to increase shelf-life. These foods may also contain substances from the packaging that they come into contact with. Examples include confectionery, fried snacks, processed meats, cakes and biscuits. These foods tend to be energy dense but low in nutrients, so aren’t considered to be good for you.
The UK is one of the biggest consumers of UPFs per head in Europe, and manufacturers are producing more and more of these cheap industrial foodstuffs. Turn the page for more on these. •
What’s the difference between processed and ultra-processed food?
The usual definition of a UPF is based on the NOVA classification system, devised by a research group, which divides food and drink into four categories:
1 UNPROCESSED OR MINIMALLY PROCESSED FOODS
These are fundamentally natural foods (plant and animal) that you would prepare and cook at home. They might undergo some minimal processing, such as removing inedible parts, cooking, drying, preserving (freezing) or treatment to make them safer to eat (pasteurising or filtering). Seeds, eggs, milk, meat, fruit and vegetables are all included.
2 PROCESSED INGREDIENTS
Usually culinary ingredients, such as oils, butter, sugar and salt. These are likely to be used in combination with natural foods, and aren’t normally consumed by themselves.
3 PROCESSED FOODS
These are often a combination of foods from categories one and two – natural foods that have been modified to make them taste better or last longer. They include canned vegetables and fish, freshly made bread and cheeses.
4 ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS
More a ‘formulation’ than a food, these are made from su
