Ultra-processed food

Uncommon card · No. 107416

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are industrially manufactured food products, generally derived from natural food or synthesized from other organic compounds. The term is commonly associated with the Nova food classification system, which distinguishes UPFs from minimally processed and processed foods. UPFs are typically formulated to be convenient, shelf-stable, and hyperpalatable, often through the use of food additives such as preservatives, emulsifiers, colourings, and flavourings. UPFs typically undergo processes such as moulding, extrusion, hydrogenation, or frying. There is currently no commonly accepted definition of ultra-processed food by codex alimentarius and food regulators such as the European Food Safety Authority. Ultra-processed foods first became ubiquitous in the global food systems starting in the 1980s, with the term "ultra-processed food" gaining prominence after a 2009 paper by Brazilian researchers as part of the Nova classification system. In the Nova system, UPFs include...

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