Scientists Propose New Approach for Classifying Processed Foods

The debate around processed foods is one of the most persistent in modern nutrition. For years, the NOVA classification system has served as the gold standard for categorizing foods by their level of processing—ranging from unprocessed or minimally processed to ultra-processed. However, NOVA has been criticized for its lack of nuance: very different foods, such as a candy bar and a sugar-free, fortified whole grain cereal, end up in the same category, making it hard to accurately assess their health impacts.

A team of scientists has introduced a new approach to classifying processed foods. This system, developed by an organization specializing in the analysis of packaged food ingredients, was recently presented at a major nutrition conference. Its aim is to provide a more objective and detailed perspective, overcoming the limitations of the NOVA model.

How Does the New System Work?

The method uses a scoring system based on three key components:

• Ingredient assessment: Each ingredient is given a weighted score based on current scientific understanding of its health risks.

• Percentage of calories from added sugars: A well-established marker of nutritional quality.

• Consideration of ingredients with known health concerns: Such as high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, or excessive salt.

This approach allows foods to be classified into five processing levels: minimal, light, moderate, ultra, and super-ultra. When applied to a database of over 650,000 products and 5,500 ingredients, the new system demonstrated much finer differentiation among foods previously grouped together as ultra-processed under NOVA.

Implications for Consumers, Industry, and Science

For consumers, this approach provides a clearer and more actionable tool for making healthier choices, even within highly processed categories. For the food industry, it enables more precise benchmarking of products based on ingredient composition and potential health impact.

Moreover, the system is designed to evolve with science: as new evidence emerges about the effects of specific ingredients or processing methods, the classification will be updated, maintaining its rigor and transparency.

What Do Experts Say?

Nutrition professionals highlight that the new proposal marks an important step toward a more precise, evidence-based classification. However, they caution that more work is needed—especially to ensure the system is applicable in different countries and to promote healthy habits like the “five-a-day” recommendation.

In summary, this initiative represents a milestone in how we understand and classify processed foods, offering both consumers and industry a more sophisticated and adaptable tool for navigating the complexity of modern food.