Processed and ultra-processed foods

There has been growing interest in the topic of food processing in recent years, with lots of reports linking so called ‘ultra-processed foods’, to our health and the environment.

Many reports have linked ultra-processed foods and poor health, and this understandably has led to people being concerned.

But what are processed and ultra-processed foods, and should we really be worried?

As the public sector food body for Scotland, we’ve put together the below five facts on processed and ultra-processed foods to help you to make sense of the topic and support you on your journey towards having a healthy balanced diet.

1. Not all processed and ultra processed foods are unhealthy

The terms ‘processed’ and ‘ultra-processed’ are used to describe how a product has been made rather than how healthy it is. Although there's no widely agreed definition, processed and ultra-processed foods tend to be those which have been prepared by a variety of methods and contain several ingredients.

The term ‘ultra-processed’ is specific to the NOVA classification which was developed by scientists in Brazil, and groups foods into four different categories, based on their level of processing rather than the nutritional content. The NOVA classification groups the many thousand different food products, all prepared and used in a multitude of different ways, into just four general categories:

1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods, like fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.
2. Processed culinary ingredients, like oils, butter, sugar and salt.
3. Processed foods, including tinned vegetables, canned fish, fruits in syrup, cheese and freshly made breads. These are essentially made by adding ingredients like, salt, oil, sugar and preservatives to unprocessed foods or culinary ingredients.
4. Ultra-processed foods, including soft drinks, sweet and savoury packaged snacks, reconstituted meat products and pre-prepared frozen dishes. The NOVA classification considers these as formulations made mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods and additives such as colouring, artificial sweeteners, anti-caking agents and emulsifiers. While the term ‘ultra-processed foods’ is specific to the NOVA classification system, it is now commonly adopted terminology.

But it's worth noting that many healthy foods like wholemeal breads, canned fruits and vegetables, would fall into the processed or ultra-processed category alongside other products like infant formula. Processed and ultra-processed foods can also be cheap, convenient and have a long shelf life.

All of this can, understandably, be confusing and make it more difficult to make the best choice when you are doing your weekly shopping.

2. Processing is a vital part of ensuring food safety and standards

Processing is a vital part of ensuring food safety and standards are upheld. Although a key concern for many of us is the use of additives and substances such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colours, antioxidants and flavours, these are covered by strict legislation and require thorough safety assessments before they can be authorised to be used as an ingredient in a food product.

All food additives undergo detailed assessments to check they are safe for people to eat. When new information about an additive’s safety arises, the additive is reassessed for its safety based on the latest scientific evidence.

There are several reasons why food additives and other substances are added, these include:

• Preservatives which help to keep food safer for longer by slowing the growth of microorganisms.
• Emulsifiers which help to mix or thicken the product.
• Sweeteners which are used to replace sugar in calorie-reduced foods.
• Food colourings which add or restore colour to a food which was lost during processing.
• Antioxidants which stop fats within the product becoming rancid or changing colour.
• Flavours which add or restore flavours to a food which was lost during processing.

3. There's still a lot we don’t know about processed and ultra-processed foods

Although there is evidence to suggest that eating lots of processed and ultra-processed foods is linked with poor health outcomes, there are uncertainties around the quality of this evidence.

A key issue is that we can’t yet determine whether the risk associated with processed food is due to the processing itself or because these foods are often energy-dense, high in saturated fat, salt or sugars and/or low in fruit, vegetables, and fibre. In comparison, the evidence of health harms as a result of consuming too much fat, sugar and salt is very strong and well established, including increased risk serious conditions such as heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.

Our existing advice on how to achieve a healthy balanced diet, shown in the Eatwell Guide, emphasises the importance of reducing foods and drinks which are high in fat, sugar and/or salt. These kinds of foods make up around a quarter of our shopping basket and we know can cause problems for our health longer term. Evidence shows that the majority of ultra-processed foods are also high in fats, sugar and salt. So, by following the Eatwell Guide and reducing the amount of these foods we eat, we can also reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods in our diet too. A win-win.

4. Front of package labelling can help you choose foods lower in fat, sugar and salt during your grocery shop

Right now, the places where we live and work often don't support us to easily access healthy food. There's an abundance of food and drink that is high in calories, fat, sugar and salt which is convenient and has a long shelf life. We know that these foods are heavily advertised, marketed and promoted and that this can be highly persuasive in encouraging us to buy more, or simply buy things we weren’t intending to.

Looking at food labels can help us choose healthier options. Many products have a colour coded front of pack label which can help you compare products and find options which are lower in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugars. Try to choose products with more greens and ambers and fewer reds on the label.

• Red means the food is high in fat, saturated fat, salt or sugars so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts
• Amber means medium, so you can eat foods with all or mostly amber on the label most of the time
• Green means the food is low in fats, salt or sugars and is a healthier choice

5. Small changes can have a big impact

A healthy and sustainable diet includes a wide range of foods and is an important part of feeling well and maintaining good health. Choosing healthier options can be a challenge, with busy schedules, jobs, tight budgets and other life pressures. However, Eat Well, Your Way is here to help you with how to make small, manageable changes in ways that suit you. The resource contains lots of help and advice for how you can make a change, by setting small manageable goals which can help you stick to them in the long run. Eat Well, Your Way also contains lots of information on why working towards a healthier diet is important as well as links to other tools, resources and advice that users might find helpful – for example, where to find additional support during pregnancy and parenthood, or living with particular illnesses.