Ultra-processed food (NOVA 4)
Food made from complex industrial formulations (5+ ingredients), containing cosmetic additives and substances rarely used in home cooking (protein isolates, hydrogenated oils, flavourings).
The concept of ultra-processed food comes from the NOVA classification, created by Brazilian researchers (Carlos Monteiro’s team, University of São Paulo) and Canadian researchers. NOVA sorts foods into 4 groups by degree of processing (not by nutrients):
- NOVA 1: unprocessed or minimally processed (fruit, vegetables, eggs, fresh meat)
- NOVA 2: culinary ingredients (oil, salt, butter, sugar)
- NOVA 3: “simply” processed (bread, cheese, tinned foods)
- NOVA 4: ultra-processed (fizzy drinks, industrial biscuits, ready meals, sugary cereals)
Markers of ultra-processing: the presence of additives (colours, emulsifiers, flavour enhancers), glucose-fructose syrups, protein isolates, hydrogenated oils, or a long list of ingredients with E numbers.
A fresh angle (a critical nuance): studies of 100,000+ French adults (the NutriNet-Santé cohort) have linked ultra-processed foods to higher risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and symptoms of depression.
BUT: ANSES (the French food safety agency) itself stresses the limits of NOVA: the classification rests neither on the intensity of processes nor on the number of operations. It is sometimes subjective. The same food can be classified differently depending on the analyst. And these are correlations, not proven causation.
The practical view: cut down without panicking. Occasionally eating ultra-processed foods is not a problem. The real issue is when these products replace most of your diet. A simple tip: read the ingredients list. If it is long and full of unpronounceable names, that is a warning sign.