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NUR AZIRA TUKIRAN
International Institute for Halal Research and Training( INHART), International Islamic University Malaysia( IIUM)
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IN this thriving modern world, the demand for food products has grown alongside the increasing human population. Most people need ready-to-eat food products that can simplify their daily routine, especially when they are too busy. As technology advances and demand for food products rapidly increases, a revolution in food science and modern grocery shopping has led to a dramatic rise in the production and consumption of ultraprocessed foods( UPFs). But what exactly are UPFs?
UPFs are“ industrial formulations typically containing five or more ingredients, which usually include substances not commonly used in home cooking, such as preservatives, emulsifiers, colourings, flavourings, and other additives designed to enhance shelf life, flavour, and appearance”( Gibney, 2018).
These foods are often high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, and undergo multiple
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processing steps before reaching consumers.
CONVENIENT BUT‘ COSTLY’
The popularity of UPFs began in high-income countries and is currently spreading to countries of all income levels. Consequently, UPFs are widely chosen in modern diets due to their convenience, affordability, accessibility, and longer shelf life.
Ultra-processed foods are convenient for individuals with hectic lifestyles, as they are ready-to-eat and require minimal preparation. This ease of use significantly saves time. Many food manufacturers also compete to produce UPF products and engage in aggressive marketing.
Nevertheless, although UPFs seem convenient and affordable, they are“ costly” in terms of health, as their widespread and frequent consumption hurts global health trends, contributing to rising rates of diabetes, obesity, cancer, and other related diseases.
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ENGINEERED FOR TASTE
Ultra-processed food( UPF) is very different from“ processed food”. Processing means changing food from its natural form, like freezing or adding flavourings. Most of what we eat is processed in some way, like canned beans or packaged snacks.
But UPFs are different. They are not just altered but are produced from a combination of industrial ingredients and additives designed to enhance shelf life, texture, and taste. UPFs are often cheap and heavily advertised, but they are not great for health. They contain high levels of sugar, fat, and salt, which can cause health problems.
Food scientists created a NOVA classification system to group foods and drinks based on how much they have been processed and why( Monteiro et al., 2019). It is like putting foods into different categories based on how much they have been changed and why they were changed. This helps us understand what we are eating and how it might affect our health( Table 1).
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Unprocessed /
minimally processed
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Processed culinary
ingredients
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Processed
foods
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Ultra-processed
foods
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RABIATUL ADAWIYAH ROSLAN
Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies( ACIS), Universiti Teknologi MARA( UiTM)
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Foods unaltered or altered by processes such as removing inedible parts, drying, grinding, cooking, pasteurisation, freezing, or non-alcoholic fermentation. x No substances are added. x Processing aims to increase food stability and enable easier or more diverse preparation |
x
x
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Substances obtained directly from Group 1 foods or from nature, created by industrial processes such as pressing, centrifuging, refining, extracting or mining. Processing aims to create products to be used in the preparation, seasoning and cooking of Group 1 foods. |
x Products made by adding edible substances from Group 2 to Group 1 foods using preservation methods such as non-alcoholic fermentation, canning, or bottling. x Processing aims to increase the stability and durability of Group 1 foods and to make them more enjoyable. |
x
x
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Formulations of low-cost substances derived from Group 1 foods with little to no whole foods; always contain edible substances not used in the home kitchens( e. g., protein isolates) and / or cosmetic additives( e. g., flavours, colours, emulsifiers). Processing involves multiple steps and industries and aims to create products liable to replace all other NOVA groups |
Examples: Fresh or frozen fruits / vegetables, pulses, packaged grains, flours, nuts, plain pasta, pasteurised milk, chilled / frozen meat |
Examples: Butter, vegetable
oils, other fats, sugar, molasses
, honey, salt
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Examples: Canned vegetables in brine, freshly made bread or cheeses, cured meats |
Examples: Packaged snacks, cookies / biscuits, instant soups / noodles, ready-to-eat / heat meals, candy, soft drinks |