The Lancet鈥檚 latest call for global action on so-called 鈥榰ltra-processed foods鈥� (UPFs) underscores a rising interest in healthier diets, something food and drink makers fully share. But consumers need simpler, practical guidance on how to access healthy and balanced diets that focuses on the nutritional content of food, not the level of processing as advocated by The Lancet authors.
Grouping together everything from sustainable plant-based products to nutritious wholegrain breads, fortified cereals, and even baby formula under the vague 鈥榰ltra-processed鈥� label risks a raft of unintended consequences that puts food affordability, sustainable choices, and genuinely nutritious products on the chopping block.
鈥淚f a meaty pasta sauce or a vegetable preserve can be branded as 鈥榰ltra-processed鈥� and thus 鈥渂ad鈥�, we鈥檝e lost the plot,鈥� said Sara Lamonaca, Director of Consumer Information, Nutrition & Health at 桃色视频. 鈥淭hese affordable, nutritious foods help people eat better, yet to The Lancet, just one ingredient lands them on a blacklist. The UPF label alike and is not a suitable basis for public health policy.鈥�
That鈥檚 why, leading nutrition bodies in the , , and , reject the 鈥榰ltra-processed food鈥� concept because it lacks scientific consensus, is imprecise and confusing, and risks undermining existing public health efforts.
Efforts which the food and drink industry has long been undertaking here in Europe, by cutting salt, sugar, and saturated fats from thousands of product lines, whilst boosting fibre, protein, and micronutrients.
The Lancet鈥檚 call for sweeping food taxes and draconian restrictions risks penalising nutritious and affordable foods, many of which represent more sustainable and affordable choices for consumers. We all want better diets and better health but we won鈥檛 get there by demonising the foods people eat every day. Europe鈥檚 food and drink makers stand ready to support EU policymakers and public health communities in promoting better nutrition and dietary habits.
