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The University of Murcia (UMU) collaborates with the Triptolemos Foundation in the preparation of a report on the need to define what ultra-processed foods are scientifically. This document analyzes the reason why the term ultra-processed generates confusion both in certain groups of consumers and in the food production sector and encourages the establishment of a series of criteria that serve to explain the concept. "They are often confused with foods that have unbalanced nutritional profiles or with a nutritional composition that is not adequate for our health.
That is why it is common to find this term used in a confused and equivocal way," adds UMU researcher Mª Jesús Periago. Ultra-processed foods The definition of ultraprocessing does not exist in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) nor does it appear in the food classification provided by the Food Code.
European law does not include this term either, and only differentiates between unprocessed and processed food. The NOVA system classification, which is responsible for the organization of food products according to their degree of processing, defines them as those that have been formulated with ingredients obtained from industrial processes and that are made by different techniques or processes.
This definition is complex and confusing, since some basic cornflakes for breakfast would not be ultra-processed food, but if sugar is added when manufacturing them, they would be defined as such.
Another example is the case of bread, which is a processed food.
If gluten is added to the flour to increase the protein content during the baking process, it becomes an ultra-processed product, although it maintains the same nutritional value. "In this way, the definition does not only address technological criteria, but also compositional criteria, and even nutritional value, being directly related to the content of sugars and saturated fats," explains the researcher. Although there are products on the market with unsuitable nutritional compositions, not all of them can be considered as ultra-processed foods, so it is important to educate consumers and provide good nutritional education.
A clear example of this is butter since it would not be included as ultra-processed but its nutritional composition is unbalanced since it has a high content of saturated fat. Triptolemos Foundation The Triptolemos Foundation, in which the UMU participates as a partner, has the challenge of contributing with its actions to optimizing a sustainable and balanced Global Food System.
The foundation, with the support of the CEIs network (Campus of International Excellence Network) in which the Campus Mare Nostrum participates, produces different scientific reports on topics of interest to the agri-food system. Authors of the report Carmen Carretero, Ramón Clotet, Yvonne Colomer, Gonzalo García de Fernando, Juana Frías, Buenaventura Guamis, Luis Gonzalez Vaqué, Abel Mariné, Antonio Martínez, Rafael Moreno Rojas, Mª Jesús Periago, Dolores Rodrigo, Mª Ángeles Romero Rodríguez, Amparo Salvador, Pau Talens Oliag.
Source: Universidad de Murcia
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