Research Article - Journal of Food Technology and Preservation (2025) Volume 9, Issue 2

Dissecting the ultra-processed food phenomenon: Dietary patterns and public health perspectives.

Ultra-processed foods have become a big part of modern diets, raising concerns about their health implications. This paper explores the definition, classification, and historical evolution of UPFs with regard to their pervasive presence in current diets and the complexity involved in their classification. This article uses the NOVA system to distinguish the features of UPFs from minimally and processed foods, on the one hand, and high industrial processing with added additives on the other. Based on previous studies of the health effects of UPFs, the review related their rising consumption to adverse health outcomes like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases. It also identifies sociocultural and economic factors behind UPF consumption, considering the role of global food systems in shaping dietary patterns. This article provides a critical review of available literature and brings on board a spectrum of viewpoints to once more stress the need for better regulatory regimes and public health actions against the negative health effects of UPFs. The following are some very critical insights for policymakers, health professionals, and researchers struggling to improve the global nutritional health of populations.

Author(s): Nadeem Zarif*, Mohammad Akbar Hassani, Basira Mohammadi

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