Ultra-processed foods are a hot topic in nutrition these days. However, figuring out which foods fit this label can be tricky when you’re at the grocery store. Researchers at Mass General Brigham in Boston are making this easier for everyday shoppers.
They analyzed a variety of foods from popular stores like Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Each product received a score based on its level of processing. Their findings were shared in the journal Nature Food.
To further help consumers, the researchers created a website called TrueFood. This site allows you to search for foods by name or category, making it easier to understand what you’re eating without simply labeling everything as ultra-processed.
“The current classification of food processing overlooks a lot of items,” says Giulia Menichetti, PhD, a co-author of the study and instructor at Harvard Medical School. She emphasizes that not all processed foods are equally harmful.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
Foods can be categorized based on their processing levels using the NOVA scale. The scale has four categories:
- Unprocessed and minimally processed foods: These are foods in their natural state, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Processed culinary ingredients: These are foods that have undergone minor processing, such as olive oil or butter.
- Processed foods: These contain ingredients like sugar or salt and include items like frozen veggies and canned fish.
- Ultra-processed foods: These are typically packaged items with artificial additives and preservatives, like sodas and packaged snacks.
Study Findings
In their study, Menichetti and her team looked at ingredient lists and nutrition facts from items at the three grocery stores, all popular shopping spots in the U.S. They constructed GroceryDB with over 50,000 food items and used an AI system called the FPro algorithm to score the processing levels of these foods.
A higher score means a food is more ultra-processed. For example, fresh produce or milk usually scores close to zero, indicating minimal processing. The results showed that while Whole Foods has more minimally processed options, many products across all stores are still ultra-processed. In fact, some categories offer only highly processed foods.
Using the TrueFood Site
The TrueFood website displays the processing score for various foods, along with nutrition facts. You can easily enter a product name or browse categories to find out how processed a food is.
Menichetti explains that their goal is to give clear information on food processing. Instead of simply labeling foods as ultra-processed, they provide a numeric score to help consumers make informed choices. You can also find alternatives to highly processed foods when shopping.
Although they didn’t identify a single food as the least or most processed, Menichetti suggests focusing on food categories for better choices. The researchers plan to grow their database, hoping to provide a clearer picture of food processing and its health implications in the future. “More data means better decisions,” she concludes.
