WASHINGTON — To address that there is not an official, federally recognized definition for “ultra-processed foods,” the USDA, along with the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have jointly announced a Request for Information for data to assist in defining what constitutes these food products.
“Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS secretary, said in the announcement. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply. Defining ultra-processed foods with a clear, uniform standard will empower us even more to ‘Make America Healthy Again.’”
The agencies add that having an authoritative definition will be a “key deliverable,” which closely stems from the recently released “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment,” which noted ultra-processed food overconsumption as a factor in childhood chronic disease.
Brooke L. Rollins, U.S. agriculture secretary, adds that this RFI, “is yet another step in seeking commonsense ways to foster improved and more informed consumer choice. A unified, widely understood definition of ultra-processed foods is long overdue and I look forward to continued partnership with Secretary Kennedy to Make America Healthy Again. As this process unfolds, I will make certain the great men and women of the agriculture value chain are part of the conversation.”
The agencies also noted that about 70 percent of U.S. packaged foods are considered ultra-processed, adding that children are getting approximately 60 percent of their calories from these food products. Scientific studies have shown that an overconsumption of these types of foods can lead to such adverse health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
“I am delighted to lead this critical effort at the FDA,” Dr. Marty Makary, FDA commissioner, said. “The threats posed to our health by foods often considered ultra-processed are clear and convincing, making it imperative that we work in lockstep with our federal partners to advance, for the first time ever, a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods.”
Meat and poultry processing
For meat and poultry processing, the Meat Institute and Meat Foundation have released an updated “Guide to Meat Processing,” which provides an enhanced understanding for the processes and ingredients that go into meat and poultry production.
“Robust scientific evidence demonstrates that meat is a rich source of high-quality protein, essential vitamins, and highly bioavailable minerals that support human health throughout the lifespan,” Julie Anna Potts, Meat Institute president and CEO, said. “Most important, parents know that meat, minimally processed or further processed, provides accessible, affordable nutrients for their children that are not easily replaced by other foods and are essential for growth, brain development and well-being.”
The Guide provides detail on the two categories of how meat is processed: Minimally Processed Meats, which are uncooked meat products that have not been significantly changed and have no added ingredients; and Further Processed Meats, which have undergone a change beyond minimal processed and may contain ingredients and possibly salting, curing, drying, batter/breading or other processes to enhance quality and safety. FPM may also include ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items, may include products such as deli meat, sausage, bacon, jerky, hot dogs, and others.
“Public discourse around meat consumption is often clouded by confusion over nutrition, processing definitions, labeling practices, and ingredient functions,” Potts added. “This guide defines processed meats and provides more transparency on meat and poultry’s nutritional importance and safety to better inform key stakeholders and the public.”
The institute also adds that USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service regulates poultry and meat products.
“Any meat product with two or more ingredients must comply with strict FSIS ingredient labeling regulations,” the Meat Institute notes. “All ingredients must be included on the product label in descending order of predominance. The Guide references the best nutritional science available to underscore the importance of nutrient dense processed meats to the healthy dietary patterns of children and vulnerable populations.”
The Guide to Meat Processing can be accessed at: https://www.meatinstitute.org/sites/default/files/documents/GuidetoMeatProcessing_final.pdf.
