Tin can of SPAM SPAM is considered a type of ultra-processed food, owing to its industrial formulation, which includes processed meats combined with preservatives and stabilizers. (more) ultra-processed food Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/technology/ultra-processed-food Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: UPF Written by Jordana Rosenfeld Jordana Rosenfeld is a copy editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. Jordana Rosenfeld Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 19, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are ultra-processed foods? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Ultra-processed foods are industrially produced foods that are made with industrial ingredients, including processed meats and food additives, and that typically have high levels of fat, sugar, and salt." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are some examples of ultra-processed foods? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen foods, breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, lunch meats, hot dogs, soft drinks, and distilled alcoholic beverages." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did World War II influence the prevalence of processed foods? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "World War II spurred innovation in processed foods, increasing their transport ease and shelf life, leading to widespread availability of canned and packaged goods after the war." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the Nova classification system? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Nova classification system categorizes foods by processing extent. Ultra-processed foods constitute Group 4 in the Nova system, being defined as industrial formulations with five or more ingredients and often containing additives." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What health effects are associated with ultra-processed foods? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods can lead to obesity and other metabolic disturbances, as well as to cardiovascular disease. These health effects generally are attributed to the ingredients and high calorie content of ultra-processed foods." } } ] } Top Questions What are ultra-processed foods? Ultra-processed foods are industrially produced foods that are made with industrial ingredients, including processed meats and food additives, and that typically have high levels of fat, sugar, and salt.

　　What are some examples of ultra-processed foods? Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen foods, breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, lunch meats, hot dogs, soft drinks, and distilled alcoholic beverages.

　　How did World War II influence the prevalence of processed foods? World War II spurred innovation in processed foods, increasing their transport ease and shelf life, leading to widespread availability of canned and packaged goods after the war.

　　What is the Nova classification system? The Nova classification system categorizes foods by processing extent. Ultra-processed foods constitute Group 4 in the Nova system, being defined as industrial formulations with five or more ingredients and often containing additives.

　　What health effects are associated with ultra-processed foods? Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods can lead to obesity and other metabolic disturbances, as well as to cardiovascular disease. These health effects generally are attributed to the ingredients and high calorie content of ultra-processed foods.

　　ultra-processed food (UPF), any of a variety of industrially produced foods that contain or are made primarily of highly processed ingredients, including artificial additives, and that typically have high levels of fat, sugar, or salt. Examples of ultra-processed foods include frozen foods, breakfast cereals, packaged snacks, lunch meats, hot dogs, soft drinks, and distilled alcoholic beverages. UPFs are hyperpalatable and have great appeal as convenience foods. They often also are aggressively marketed, with attractive packaging and branding by transnational corporations. Common ingredients in UPFs include artificial flavorings, artificial food colorings, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, and hydrolyzed proteins (mixtures ...(100 of 494 words)

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