What is Ultra-processed food?
'''Ultra processed food''' is a classification in the NOVA food classification system. This system was developed by the [[Brazilian]] [[nutrition]] researcher Carlos Monteiro, with his team at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health at the [[University of São Paulo]], Brazil. The system looks at [[food processing]] not foods types or nutrients -- which are used in most other food [[categorization]] systems. NOVA sorts foods into four categories: # Unprocessed or minimally processed foods # Processed culinary [[Ingredient|ingredients]] # [[Processed food|Processed foods]] # Ultra processed food and drink products Almost all food is processed in some way. The term ultra-processing refers to the processing of industrial ingredients derived from foods, for example by extruding, [[moulding]], re-shaping, [[hydrogenation]], and [[hydrolysis]]. Ultra-processed foods generally include [[Additive|additives]] like [[Food preservation|preservatives]], [[Artificial sweetener|sweeteners]], [[sensory enhancers]], [[colourants]], [[Flavor|flavours]], and processing aids. [[Baby formula|Infant formula]] and [[medical food]] are also considered ultra-processed. [[Food additive|Food additives]] are not always a marker of ultra-processed foods. Preservatives, for example [[antioxidant]] or [[nitrite]], are permitted for category 3.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nova groups for food processing|url=https://world.openfoodfacts.org/nova|access-date=2023-09-01|website=world.openfoodfacts.org|language=en}}</ref> This classification system is not accepted by everyone. [[Chorleywood bread process|“Chorleywood” process]] bread, ready meals, [[reconstituted meat]] and almost all [[Breakfast cereal|breakfast cereals]] are generally thought to be ultra-processed. Ultra-processed food is generally cheap, so poor people eat a lot of it.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hayward|first=Tim|date=2023-09-01|title=Ultra-processed food furore leaves a woolly taste in the mouth|work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/3fefb452-457e-4