Food processing Frequently asked questions

Why do we process foods?

• For safety

Many processes that foods goes through are to make sure they are safe and stay safe for our consumption, from pasteurisation of milk to remove harmful bacteria, the addition of preservatives to prevent food spoiling or removal of toxins found naturally on agricultural products like grains or cereals.

• For health

The food industry has been reformulating foods for many years to support dietary recommendations and in response to the Government’s reformulation targets. Compared to 2015, FDF member products contribute 13% fewer calories, 15% fewer sugars, and 24% less salt to the average shopping basket. As well as removing nutrients of concern, processing can support consumers to reach nutritional requirements, by increasing fibre, fruit and vegetable content and vitamins and minerals.

Healthier product innovation is technically challenging, and progress often requires innovation in processes and ingredients to reduce these nutrients whilst still maintaining the taste and texture consumers know and love. For example, use of emulsifiers in low fat sauces such as mayonnaise, reducing the levels of salt and sugar by changing the size and structure of the crystals and fortification of plant-based alternatives with vitamins and minerals.

• For consumers

Processed food supports consumers in a variety of different ways, allergen free and plant-based alternatives support diet and lifestyle choices. Food processing also provides a wide variety of convenient options that saves time compared to always cooking from scratch.

What are food additives?

Food additives are technical ingredients added to food and drink that carry out a specific function, for example antioxidants prevent fats from reacting with oxygen causing them to spoil.

Adding technical ingredients to foods to perform a function has been a common practice for many generations, for example using salt as a preservative or adding plant extracts for colour.

Before any additive can be used in food, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) independently and scientifically assess their safety and decides if it can be used and in what amount. The FSA then regularly reviews the latest science and data to make sure its assessments are based on robust evidence.

As with all other food additives, sweeteners also must undergo a safety evaluation before they are authorised for use. Additional information on the safety of sweeteners can also be found on the NHS website. 

How do we define processed foods and why is the term ‘ultra-processed’ unhelpful?

There is no legal definition of processed, minimally processed or ultra-processed foods. The Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) undertook a review and found 8 different systems of classifying foods according to the level of processing. This included the NOVA classification, devised by a Brazilian research group, which coined the term UPF.

NOVA defines food according to the number and type of ingredients used and purpose of processing. Often when research papers talk about UPF they are referring to this NOVA definition, but they may be using a different definition specific to that research.

Research shows that consumers struggle to understand and classify foods according to the level of processingiii. Furthermore, processed foods play an important role in a healthy balanced diet and demonising foods by the level of processing conflicts with dietary advice.

High in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS)

The term high in fat, salt or sugar is often used interchangeably with UPF, but they are not the same. HFSS is defined by the Government using a model to consider different nutrients important to public health - like calories, salt and fibre - to calculate an overall score. Depending on the score the food is classed as healthier (non-HFSS) or less healthy (HFSS). Many foods classed as UPF will be non-HFSS – for example lower sugar drinks or higher fibre breakfast cereals. Similarly, there are foods classed as HFSS but not UPF, like cheese.

Is there research that shows processed food is unhealthy for us?

Some research shows a correlation between high dietary intakes of 'UPF' and negative health outcomes, leading to speculation that the level of processing may be the cause of this observation.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition published a position statement that noted uncertainties around the quality of evidence available. They found that the studies are almost exclusively observational and confounding factors such as energy intake, body mass index, smoking and socioeconomic status may not be adequately accounted for. They concluded that the evidence to date should be treated with caution.

Can processed foods help support a balanced diet?

Yes! The term captures a broad variety of foods that contribute to a healthy balanced diet in line with the Government's Eatwell Guide – such as breakfast cereal, bread, vegetable-based pasta sauce and dairy alternative milks. The British Dietetic Association* recognises the role of processed foods in supporting populations to meet nutritional requirements and warns against avoiding foods simply based on the number of ingredients they contain.

We welcome the UK Government’s focus on working in partnership with industry to tackle obesity and to improve diets. Our members are continuing to work hard to provide healthier options and smaller portion sizes. For more information on the great work of our members please see our Celebrating Food and Nutrition report.

* British Dietetic Association – Processed Foods position paper