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Clockwise: Mustard seed in minimally processed forms and processed as a condiment

The Nova classification (Portuguese: nova classificação, 'new classification') is a framework for grouping edible substances based on the extent and purpose of food processing applied to them. Researchers at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, proposed the system in 2009.[1]

Nova classifies food into four groups:

  1. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
  2. Processed culinary ingredients
  3. Processed foods
  4. Ultra-processed foods[2]

The system has been used worldwide in nutrition and public health research, policy, and guidance as a tool for understanding the health implications of different food products.[3]

History

[edit]

The Nova classification grew out of the research of Carlos Augusto Monteiro.[4] His early research in the late 1970s focused on malnutrition, reflecting the prevailing emphasis in nutrition science of the time.[5][6] In the mid-1990s, Monteiro observed a significant shift in Brazil's dietary landscape marked by a rise in obesity rates among economically disadvantaged populations, while more affluent areas saw declines. This transformation led him to explore dietary patterns holistically, rather than focusing solely on individual nutrients. Employing statistical methods, Monteiro identified two distinct eating patterns in Brazil: one rooted in traditional foods like rice and beans and another characterized by the consumption of highly processed products.[7]

The classification's name is from the title of the original scientific article in which it was published, 'A new classification of foods' (Portuguese: Uma nova classificação de alimentos).[8] The idea of applying this as the classification's name is credited to Jean-Claude Moubarac of the Université de Montréal.[4] The name is often styled in capital letters, NOVA, but it is not an acronym.[9] Recent scientific literature leans towards writing the name as Nova, including papers written with Monteiro's involvement.[10][11][12]

Nova food processing groups

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The Nova framework presents four food groups, defined according to the nature, extent, and purpose of industrial food processing applied.[9] Databases such as Open Food Facts provide Nova classifications for commercial products based on analysis of their categories and ingredients.[13] Assigning foods to these categories is most straightforward if information is available on food preparation and composition.[10]

The classification's attention to social aspects of food give it an intuitive character. This makes it an effective communication tool in public health promotion, since it builds on consumers' established perceptions.[14][15] At the same time, this characteristic has led some scientists to question whether Nova is suitable for scientific control.[16] By contrast, researchers have successfully developed a quantitative definition for hyperpalatable food.[17] Both proponents and opponents of Nova 'agree that food processing vitally affects human health', but not on its definition of ultra-processing.[18][19][20]

Nova is an open classification that refines its definitions gradually through new scientific publications rather than through a central advisory board.[21]

Group 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods

[edit]

Unprocessed foods are the edible parts of plants, animals, algae and fungi along with water.[citation needed]

This group also includes minimally processed foods, which are unprocessed foods modified through industrial methods such as the removal of unwanted parts, crushing, drying, fractioning, grinding, pasteurization, non-alcoholic fermentation, freezing, and other preservation techniques that maintain the food's integrity and do not introduce salt, sugar, oils, fats, or other culinary ingredients. Additives are absent in this group.[2]

Examples include fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, fresh meat, eggs, milk, plain yogurt, and crushed spices.[2]

Group 2: Processed culinary ingredients

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Processed culinary ingredients are derived from group 1 foods or else from nature by processes such as pressing, refining, grinding, milling, and drying. It also includes substances mined or extracted from nature. These ingredients are primarily used in seasoning and cooking group 1 foods and preparing dishes from scratch. They are typically free of additives, but some products in this group may include added vitamins or minerals, such as iodized salt.[citation needed]

Examples of foods included in Nova group 2 include oils produced through crushing seeds, nuts, or fruits (such as olive oil); salt; sugar; vinegar; starches; honey; syrups extracted from trees; butter; and other substances used to season and cook.[2]

Group 3: Processed foods

[edit]

Processed foods are relatively simple food products produced by adding processed culinary ingredients (group 2 substances) such as salt or sugar to unprocessed (group 1) foods.[2]

Processed foods are made or preserved through baking, boiling, canning, bottling, and non-alcoholic fermentation. They often use additives to enhance shelf life, protect the properties of unprocessed food, prevent the spread of microorganisms, or make them more enjoyable.[2]

Examples include cheese, canned vegetables, salted nuts, fruits in syrup, and dried or canned fish. Breads, pastries, cakes, biscuits, snacks, and some meat products fall into this group when they are made predominantly from group 1 foods with the addition of group 2 ingredients.[2]

Group 4: Ultra-processed foods

[edit]

The most recent overview of Nova published with Monteiro defines ultra-processed food as follows:

Industrially manufactured food products made up of several ingredients (formulations) including sugar, oils, fats and salt (generally in combination and in higher amounts than in processed foods) and food substances of no or rare culinary use (such as high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, modified starches and protein isolates). Group 1 foods are absent or represent a small proportion of the ingredients in the formulation. Processes enabling the manufacture of ultra-processed foods include industrial techniques such as extrusion, moulding and pre-frying; application of additives including those whose function is to make the final product palatable or hyperpalatable such as flavours, colourants, non-sugar sweeteners and emulsifiers; and sophisticated packaging, usually with synthetic materials. Processes and ingredients here are designed to create highly profitable (low-cost ingredients, long shelf-life, emphatic branding), convenient (ready-to-(h)eat or to drink), tasteful alternatives to all other Nova food groups and to freshly prepared dishes and meals. Ultra-processed foods are operationally distinguishable from processed foods by the presence of food substances of no culinary use (varieties of sugars such as fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, 'fruit juice concentrates', invert sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose and lactose; modified starches; modified oils such as hydrogenated or interesterified oils; and protein sources such as hydrolysed proteins, soya protein isolate, gluten, casein, whey protein and 'mechanically separated meat') or of additives with cosmetic functions (flavours, flavour enhancers, colours, emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, sweeteners, thickeners and anti-foaming, bulking, carbonating, foaming, gelling and glazing agents) in their list of ingredients.[10]

The Nova definition of ultra-processed food does not comment on the nutritional content of food and is not intended to be used for nutrient profiling.[22]

Impact on public health

[edit]

The Nova classification has been increasingly used to evaluate the relationship between the extent of food processing and health outcomes. Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of ultra-processed foods with obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, depression, and various types of cancer.[23][24]

Researchers conclude that the creation of ultra-processed foods is primarily motivated by economic considerations within the food industry. The processes and ingredients used for these foods are specifically designed to maximize profitability by incorporating low-cost ingredients, ensuring long shelf-life, and emphasizing branding.[25] Furthermore, ultra-processed foods are engineered to be convenient and hyperpalatable, making them a potential replacement for other food groups within the Nova classification, particularly unprocessed or minimally processed foods.[2] As a result, researchers and public health campaigners are using the Nova classification as a means to enhance both human health outcomes and food sustainability.[26]

The system has also been used to inform food and nutrition policies in several countries and international organizations. For example, the Pan American Health Organization has adopted the Nova classification in its dietary guidelines.[27]

In 2014, the Ministry of Health of Brazil published new dietary guidelines based in part on Nova, crediting Carlos Monteiro as the coordinator. These recommend a 'golden rule', 'Always prefer natural or minimally processed foods and freshly made dishes and meals to ultra-processed foods.' They also set out recommendations corresponding to the Nova groups:[28][29]

  1. Make natural or minimally processed foods, in great variety, mainly of plant origin, and preferably produced with agro-ecological methods, the basis of your diet.
  2. Use oils, fats, salt and sugar in small amounts for seasoning and cooking foods and to create culinary preparations.
  3. Limit the use of processed foods, consuming them in small amounts as ingredients in culinary preparations or as part of meals based on natural or minimally processed foods.
  4. Avoid ultra-processed products.[9]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recognized these as the first national dietary guidelines to emphasize 'the social and economic aspects of sustainability, advising people to be wary of advertising, for example, and to avoid ultra-processed foods that are not only bad for health but are seen to undermine traditional food cultures. They stand in contrast to the largely environmental definition of sustainability adopted in the other guidelines.'[30][31]

The Nova classification does not comment on the nutritional value of food and can be combined with a labelling system such as Nutri-Score to provide comprehensive guidance on healthy eating.[13][32]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Nova classification

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The NOVA classification system categorizes foods and beverages into four groups based on the extent and purpose of industrial food processing, distinguishing unprocessed or minimally processed foods (such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and freshly caught or butchered meats), processed culinary ingredients (such as oils, butter, sugar, and salt), processed foods (such as canned vegetables with added salt, fruits in syrup, cheeses, and freshly made breads), and ultra-processed products (industrial formulations typically containing five or more ingredients, including substances not used in home cooking like hydrogenated oils, modified starches, protein isolates, and cosmetic additives for flavor, color, or texture).[1][2] Developed in the early 2000s by Brazilian epidemiologist Carlos Augusto Monteiro and colleagues at the University of São Paulo, NOVA shifts focus from nutrients or calories to processing as a determinant of dietary quality and health impacts, positing that ultra-processed foods (group 4) are inherently obesogenic and linked to non-communicable diseases due to their hyper-palatability, poor satiety, and displacement of minimally processed foods in diets.[3][1] Adopted by international bodies including the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and Pan American Health Organization for dietary guidelines, NOVA has informed policies like front-of-pack labeling in Brazil and Chile, with epidemiological studies associating higher ultra-processed food intake—often exceeding 50% of calories in high-income countries—with increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality, based on observational data from cohorts tracking self-reported diets.[3][4] However, randomized controlled trials, such as those matching ultra-processed and minimally processed diets for macronutrients and energy density, have shown greater ad libitum consumption and weight gain on ultra-processed arms, supporting causal claims beyond correlation.[5] Despite its influence, NOVA faces criticism for subjectivity in classifying products (e.g., grouping nutrient-dense items like fortified yogurts with sugary snacks in group 4), neglecting nutritional composition and bioavailability in favor of processing alone, and lacking mechanistic precision on how specific formulations drive health outcomes, potentially stigmatizing entire categories without accounting for fortification or reformulation potential.[6][7] Peer-reviewed critiques argue it oversimplifies food science by ignoring evidence-based nutrient profiling systems and may hinder innovation in healthier processed alternatives, though proponents counter that processing effects transcend nutrient matching.[8][9]

Origins and Development

Initial Proposal in 2009

The NOVA food classification system originated with a proposal by Brazilian epidemiologist Carlos Augusto Monteiro in a 2009 commentary published in Public Health Nutrition.[10] Monteiro argued that conventional nutritional guidance, which emphasizes isolated nutrients or whole foods without regard to processing, fails to address the primary driver of diet-related diseases such as obesity, namely the industrial processing of foods that alters their nutritional profile, digestibility, and addictive potential.[11] He proposed shifting analytical focus to the extent and purpose of processing, positing that excessive processing—particularly through additives, emulsifiers, and formulations for hyper-palatability—displaces nutrient-dense foods in diets and contributes disproportionately to non-communicable diseases.[11] Monteiro's initial framework divided foods into three groups, distinguishing unprocessed or minimally processed items from those subjected to varying degrees of industrial intervention.[11] Group 1 encompassed unprocessed or minimally processed foods, defined as whole foods subjected only to procedures like removal of inedible parts, freezing, drying, or pasteurization to extend shelf life while preserving inherent nutritional qualities and sensory attributes.[11] Examples included fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, and meat, which Monteiro viewed as the foundation of healthful diets when combined with culinary preparation.[11] Group 2 consisted of processed culinary ingredients extracted from Group 1 foods or nature, such as oils, butter, sugar, and salt, intended for use in small quantities to season or cook Group 1 foods rather than as standalone consumables.[11] These were seen as traditional aids to home cooking that do not fundamentally alter the nutritional matrix of meals. Group 3, termed "ultra-processed products," included formulations of Group 2 ingredients reformulated with Group 1 elements, plus industrial additives like flavors, colors, emulsifiers, and preservatives to create durable, ready-to-eat or heat products optimized for convenience, profitability, and sensory appeal.[11] Examples cited were soft drinks, biscuits, chicken nuggets, and packaged snacks; Monteiro described these as "confections" engineered to be energy-dense yet nutrient-poor, habit-forming, and capable of displacing minimally processed foods in global supplies, as evidenced by FAO data showing their rise correlating with obesity trends.[11] This tripartite classification aimed to guide public health policy by highlighting how ultra-processed products, absent from traditional diets, proliferate through marketing and displace balanced meals, urging a reevaluation of food guidelines to prioritize processing over nutrient profiling.[11] Monteiro's proposal laid the groundwork for subsequent empirical studies linking higher consumption of Group 3 items to adverse health outcomes, though it initially lacked the formal NOVA acronym and the finer distinction later drawn between moderately processed and ultra-processed categories.[11]

Subsequent Refinements and Global Adoption

Following the initial proposal, the NOVA classification underwent refinements through subsequent publications that clarified definitions, expanded examples, and addressed boundary issues. In 2016, Monteiro and colleagues provided an updated framework with more precise criteria for categorizing foods, particularly distinguishing industrial techniques in ultra-processed formulations and incorporating additional case studies to resolve ambiguities in group assignments.[12] These updates emphasized the purpose of processing—such as extending shelf life or enhancing palatability via additives—while maintaining the four-group structure without altering core principles.[13] The system's global adoption accelerated after its integration into Brazil's Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population in 2014, marking the first national policy to explicitly base recommendations on NOVA groups: prioritizing unprocessed or minimally processed foods (group 1) as the dietary foundation, using processed culinary ingredients (group 2) in moderation, limiting processed foods (group 3), and avoiding ultra-processed products (group 4).[14] This approach influenced subsequent guidelines in other countries, including Uruguay's 2016 edition, which similarly advised minimizing ultra-processed items. International organizations further propelled adoption; the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) incorporated NOVA into its 2014-2019 Plan of Action for Childhood Obesity Prevention and subsequent reports on ultra-processed foods in Latin America, using it to quantify regional consumption patterns and advocate for reformulation policies.[15] The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) endorsed the system in a 2019 technical report, applying it to assess diet quality and health outcomes across diverse populations, which facilitated its use in over 1,000 epidemiological studies worldwide by 2025.[1] By the mid-2020s, NOVA informed public health strategies in Europe and North America, including Canada's 2022-2023 food labeling discussions and the UK's 2023 nutrition profiling efforts, though implementation varied due to debates over nutritional nuance versus processing focus.[16]

Classification Categories

Group 1: Unprocessed or Minimally Processed Foods

Group 1 of the NOVA classification includes unprocessed foods, defined as edible parts of plants (such as fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, roots, tubers), animals (such as muscle, offal, bone, blood, eggs, milk), fungi, algae, or water, obtained directly from nature without any alteration beyond harvesting or basic collection.[3] Minimally processed foods within this group result from physical processes applied to unprocessed foods, including removal of inedible or unwanted parts, crushing, grinding, milling, drying, roasting, pasteurization, freezing, vacuum-packing, or non-alcoholic fermentation, as long as no added substances like salt, sugar, oils, or emulsifiers are introduced.[3] These processes aim to increase durability, facilitate preparation, or ensure safety while preserving the food's intrinsic nutritional properties and avoiding industrial formulations.[17] Examples of unprocessed foods encompass fresh apples, raw carrots, whole grains like rice or wheat kernels, uncooked beef cuts, fresh eggs, and plain milk.[18] Minimally processed variants include frozen vegetables without additives, ground nuts, pasteurized milk, dried beans, or milled flour from whole grains, provided no extraneous ingredients are incorporated during processing.[17] [18] Such foods form the foundation of diets emphasizing whole, recognizable ingredients, distinguishing them from higher NOVA groups that involve added culinary or industrial components.[19] Boundary cases arise when minimal processing verges on adding non-food elements; for instance, roasted coffee beans qualify as minimally processed due to heat application alone, but roasted nuts with added salt shift to Group 2 or higher.[17] The classification, originally proposed by researchers at the University of São Paulo in 2009 and refined in subsequent publications, relies on ingredient lists and processing descriptions rather than nutritional content, allowing consistent categorization across global food systems despite variations in industrial practices.[3] This approach has been adopted by organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization for dietary guideline development as of 2019.[1]

Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients

Processed culinary ingredients in the NOVA classification, designated as Group 2, consist of substances derived from unprocessed or minimally processed foods (Group 1) or directly from nature through industrial processes including pressing, refining, grinding, milling, or drying.[1] These ingredients are intended for use in the preparation, cooking, or seasoning of dishes primarily composed of Group 1 foods, rather than for standalone consumption.[19] Unlike Group 1 items, Group 2 products undergo extraction or purification to isolate components such as fats, sugars, or salts, but without addition of other Group 2 substances or complex formulations characteristic of higher groups.[3] Examples of Group 2 ingredients include vegetable oils extracted from seeds, nuts, or fruits like olives; animal fats such as butter and lard; sweeteners like sugar, honey, and syrups; salt; and other extracts like vinegar and starch.[1] These are obtained via straightforward physical or chemical processes that concentrate naturally occurring elements without introducing additives beyond the base material.[19] For instance, olive oil results from pressing olives, while table sugar arises from refining sugarcane or beets.[3] In the NOVA framework, Group 2 ingredients serve a supportive role in home cooking to enhance flavor, texture, or preservation of Group 1 foods, aligning with traditional culinary practices.[1] The classification posits that their moderate use does not inherently promote unhealthy diets, provided they complement rather than displace minimally processed foods.[19] Boundary distinctions arise with products like honey, which may border Group 1 if unprocessed, but qualify as Group 2 when industrially refined or pasteurized.[3] This group excludes items with added preservatives or those used primarily in industrial food manufacturing, reserving such for Groups 3 and 4.[1]

Group 3: Processed Foods

In the NOVA classification system, Group 3 comprises processed foods manufactured through techniques such as canning, bottling, smoking, fermenting, or baking, primarily using ingredients from Group 1 (unprocessed or minimally processed foods) combined with additions of Group 2 substances like salt, sugar, oil, or vinegar to enhance preservation or sensory qualities such as flavor and texture.[5][20] These processes aim to extend shelf life or make foods more palatable while preserving the recognizable form of the original ingredients, without the extensive use of industrial additives, emulsifiers, or artificial flavors characteristic of Group 4.[21][22] Unlike minimally processed foods in Group 1, which undergo only basic alterations like cleaning or freezing, Group 3 products involve deliberate additions and methods that alter composition but maintain a simple ingredient profile, typically 2-3 recognizable components.[5] This category excludes formulations designed for hyper-palatability or convenience through multiple industrial techniques.[23] Common examples include:
  • Canned or jarred vegetables, fruits, legumes, or fish in brine, water, or their own juices.[5][24]
  • Salted, smoked, or cured meats and fish, such as bacon or jerky without additional preservatives.[25]
  • Cheeses produced by fermenting milk with salt or rennet.[5]
  • Freshly made breads from flour, water, yeast, and salt; or fruits preserved in syrup.[5][25]
  • Beer or wine from fermented grains or fruits with minimal additives.[25]
Boundary cases, such as certain canned meats or sweetened fruits, may overlap with Group 4 if they incorporate flavors, stabilizers, or high-fructose syrups, highlighting the importance of examining ingredient lists for additives beyond basic Group 2 items.[21][26] The classification emphasizes the purpose and extent of processing over nutritional content, with Group 3 foods generally contributing to dietary variety when consumed alongside Groups 1 and 2.[27]

Group 4: Ultra-Processed Foods

Group 4 in the NOVA classification encompasses ultra-processed foods, defined as industrial formulations primarily composed of substances of exclusive industrial use, resulting from multiple sequential processes such as extrusion, molding, and pre-frying.[23] These products typically contain five or more ingredients, including those not commonly found in home cooking, and are designed to be convenient, hyper-palatable, and shelf-stable, often displacing minimally processed foods in diets.[19] The classification emphasizes the extent and purpose of processing, distinguishing ultra-processed items by their reliance on additives like emulsifiers, artificial flavors, colors, and stabilizers to enhance sensory appeal and extend durability.[28] Key characteristics include the use of ingredients such as hydrogenated fats, modified starches, hydrolyzed proteins, high-fructose corn syrup, and soy protein isolates, which are derived from Group 1 or 2 commodities but transformed through industrial means.[29] Unlike processed foods in Group 3, which preserve recognizable forms of whole foods (e.g., canned vegetables or cheeses), ultra-processed products undergo extensive fractionation, reconfiguration, and combination, often rendering original food structures unrecognizable.[23] This level of processing aims to create ready-to-consume or heat items that require no further preparation beyond minimal heating or consumption, prioritizing profitability through low cost and high volume production.[30] Examples of ultra-processed foods include:
  • Carbonated soft drinks and energy drinks sweetened with added sugars or artificial sweeteners.[24]
  • Packaged snacks such as chips, cookies, and extruded cereals with added flavors and preservatives.[19]
  • Instant noodles, frozen ready meals, and mass-produced breads containing dough conditioners and emulsifiers.[31]
  • Sweetened yogurts, candies, and chocolate bars formulated with multiple stabilizers and flavor enhancers.[24]
These items dominate modern food retail environments, comprising a significant portion of caloric intake in many populations, as evidenced by sales data showing their rapid proliferation since the late 20th century.[28]

Methodology and Defining Criteria

Principles of Food Processing Assessment

The NOVA classification system evaluates food processing through three interrelated principles: the nature of the processes applied (encompassing physical methods like milling or freezing, biological techniques such as fermentation, and chemical alterations including hydrogenation or the addition of synthetic substances); the extent of processing (ranging from minimal interventions to preserve edibility and safety to extensive industrial formulations involving multiple sequential techniques like extrusion, moulding, or pre-frying); and the purpose of processing (distinguishing between extensions of traditional home cooking for preservation or palatability, and industrial designs aimed at enhancing profitability, convenience, and hyper-palatability through displacement of minimally processed foods).[3][32] These principles prioritize the overall transformation of the food item over isolated nutrient profiles, positing that industrial processing inherently alters nutritional integrity, digestibility, and metabolic impacts.[33] Assessment begins by inspecting the product's ingredient list, packaging claims, and manufacturing descriptors to determine if it consists primarily of intact or simply modified natural foods (assigning to Group 1), extracted substances for culinary use (Group 2), or recognizable modifications via basic additions like salt or sugar (Group 3).[32] Products featuring five or more ingredients, especially cosmetic additives (e.g., emulsifiers, artificial flavors, colors, or stabilizers not used in home cooking), fractionated food-derived elements (e.g., hydrogenated oils, modified starches, or hydrolyzed proteins), and techniques yielding unrecognizable forms (e.g., reconstituted meat or molded snacks) are classified as ultra-processed (Group 4).[3] This hierarchical evaluation ensures that the dominant processing level dictates the group, with industrial intent—evidenced by formulations engineered for extended shelf life, sensory optimization, and minimal preparation—elevating classification regardless of occasional inclusion of Group 1 elements. Practical application involves cross-referencing against validated examples from NOVA guidelines, such as classifying canned fish in oil as processed (Group 3) due to salting and oil addition for preservation, versus packaged fish sticks as ultra-processed owing to battering, frying, and additives for texture and appeal.[32] While these criteria emphasize empirical observation of processing markers over proprietary formulations (often undisclosed), reproducibility can vary without algorithmic tools, as demonstrated by inter-evaluator agreement rates below 70% for ambiguous items like flavored yogurts.[34] Nonetheless, the system's focus on verifiable industrial signatures supports its use in epidemiological coding of food databases, where processing extent correlates with additive counts and formulation complexity exceeding traditional recipes.[33]

Examples and Boundary Challenges

Examples of Group 1 foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, grains such as rice or wheat, fresh or frozen meat, poultry, fish, milk, and eggs, with minimal alterations like pasteurization, freezing, drying, or grinding to preserve them without adding substances.[3] Group 2 encompasses ingredients extracted from Group 1 foods or nature, such as vegetable oils, butter, sugar, honey, salt, and vinegar, used in home cooking to season or prepare dishes.[20] Group 3 consists of foods made by combining Group 1 and 2 items through processes like canning, fermenting, or baking, yielding products such as canned vegetables with salt, cheese, fruits in syrup, salted or sugared nuts, freshly made bread, and beer.[3] Group 4 features formulations of ingredients, often including high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, modified starches, and additives like emulsifiers, flavors, and colors, resulting in items like soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant noodles, ready-to-heat meals, and mass-produced breads with preservatives.[23] Boundary challenges arise primarily between Groups 3 and 4, where distinctions hinge on the purpose and extent of processing—preservation and flavor enhancement for Group 3 versus industrial formulations for palatability and convenience in Group 4—but definitions remain ambiguous, leading to inconsistent classifications.[35] For instance, artisanal bread made with flour, water, salt, and yeast qualifies as Group 3, while industrially produced bread with emulsifiers and dough conditioners falls into Group 4, yet small-scale producers using similar additives blur this line, complicating application without detailed ingredient scrutiny.[16] Yogurt poses another ambiguity: plain versions from milk fermentation are Group 3, but those with added sugars, flavors, or stabilizers for shelf life shift to Group 4, with criteria like the presence of non-culinary additives not always clearly delineating industrial intent.[34] Further difficulties occur in mixed dishes or reformulations, where incorporating even minor Group 4 ingredients—such as a flavor enhancer in a traditionally processed sauce—may elevate the entire product, but NOVA lacks explicit rules for ingredient integration or proportional thresholds, fostering subjective interpretations.[35] Professionals report confusion over items like plant-based milks or fortified cereals, where mechanical extraction might suggest Group 2, but added stabilizers indicate Group 4, underscoring the need for iterative, multi-step assessment protocols to enhance transparency and reduce errors.[36] These ambiguities stem from NOVA's reliance on descriptive rather than quantitative criteria, as outlined by Monteiro et al., potentially overlooking variations in production scale or regional practices.[23]

Empirical Evidence on Health Associations

Studies Linking Consumption to Outcomes

Numerous prospective cohort studies and meta-analyses have identified associations between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (NOVA Group 4) and increased risks of adverse health outcomes, including cardiometabolic diseases, obesity, and mortality, after adjustment for potential confounders such as age, sex, smoking, physical activity, and overall energy intake.[37] [38] These associations often exhibit dose-response patterns, with risk escalating as the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet rises.[37] A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis of 28 prospective cohort studies reported the following pooled relative risks (RR) for highest versus lowest ultra-processed food intake categories:
OutcomePooled RR (95% CI)Number of Studies
Obesity1.32 (1.20–1.45)13
Type 2 diabetes1.37 (1.20–1.56)7
Hypertension1.32 (1.19–1.45)5
Hypertriglyceridemia1.47 (1.12–1.93)3
Low HDL cholesterol1.43 (1.05–1.95)3
Evidence quality was rated moderate for diabetes and low for other outcomes using NutriGrade scoring, reflecting reliance on self-reported dietary data and residual confounding possibilities.[38] Meta-analyses of observational data further indicate that high ultra-processed food consumption correlates with 25%–58% elevated risks of cardiometabolic outcomes and 21%–66% higher all-cause mortality compared to low consumption, with convincing evidence for cardiovascular mortality and highly suggestive links for diabetes and obesity.[37] Additional prospective studies have linked ultra-processed foods to increased cardiovascular disease incidence (e.g., RR 1.50 for highest quartile in some cohorts), certain cancers, and mental disorders, though effect sizes vary by population and adjustment methods.[28] [39] In contrast, higher intake of NOVA Group 1 foods (unprocessed or minimally processed) shows inverse associations with these risks in dietary pattern analyses.[40] No randomized controlled trials establishing causality exist, limiting inferences to correlative patterns.[37]

Confounding Variables and Observational Limitations

Observational studies linking higher consumption of NOVA Group 4 (ultra-processed) foods to adverse health outcomes, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and mortality, face significant challenges from confounding variables that correlate with both exposure and outcomes. Common confounders include socioeconomic status, education level, smoking, physical inactivity, and overall dietary patterns, as individuals with higher ultra-processed food intake often exhibit multiple unhealthy behaviors simultaneously. [28] [41] For instance, lower socioeconomic groups, who tend to consume more ultra-processed foods due to affordability and accessibility, also experience higher rates of obesity independent of food processing levels. [42] Additionally, total energy intake and portion sizes confound associations, as ultra-processed foods are frequently marketed in larger, more energy-dense formats, leading to overconsumption not solely attributable to processing techniques. [43] Unmeasured confounding further undermines causal claims, with sensitivity analyses like E-values indicating that modest unmeasured factors—such as depression symptoms (relative risk 1.39 for ultra-processed food intake and 1.48 for weight gain) or food insecurity (relative risks 1.60 and 1.42, respectively)—could fully explain observed links between ultra-processed food consumption and weight gain in prospective cohorts. [42] These analyses, applied to meta-analyses of five studies showing a relative risk of 1.33 for highest versus lowest quartiles of intake, yield E-values as low as 1.43, suggesting small confounders suffice to nullify effects. [42] No studies have demonstrated independent associations persisting after rigorous adjustment for nutrient composition, energy density, fiber, and glycemic load, implying processing extent adds little explanatory power beyond traditional dietary factors. [43] Methodological limitations inherent to observational designs exacerbate these issues, including reliance on self-reported dietary data prone to recall bias and underreporting, variability in NOVA classification application leading to misclassification (e.g., inconsistent labeling of similar products across studies), and absence of long-term randomized controlled trials to isolate processing effects from confounders. [38] [41] Reverse causation may also occur, as preclinical health declines could prompt shifts toward convenient ultra-processed options. [44] While short-term trials demonstrate increased ad libitum energy intake from ultra-processed diets, these effects attenuate with adjustment for calories and nutrients, highlighting the primacy of overall energy balance over processing per se. [43] Thus, observational evidence cannot reliably establish causality, necessitating caution in attributing health risks directly to the NOVA framework without addressing residual confounding. [41]

Criticisms and Scientific Debates

Oversimplification and Nutrient Ignorance

The NOVA classification system categorizes foods exclusively by the nature, extent, purpose, and novelty of industrial processing techniques applied, without incorporating assessments of nutritional value such as macronutrient balance, micronutrient density, or bioactive compound profiles. This approach contrasts sharply with established nutrient profiling models, which score foods based on empirical data regarding energy, fats, sugars, salts, proteins, fibers, vitamins, and minerals to gauge overall health impacts. Critics contend that by disregarding these factors, NOVA oversimplifies dietary quality evaluation, potentially misguiding consumers toward foods that may be minimally processed but nutritionally imbalanced, such as high-starch tubers or organ meats lacking complementary nutrients, while penalizing processed items that fortify or preserve essential elements like vitamin D in milk or iron in cereals.[45][43] Such nutrient blindness exemplifies oversimplification, as NOVA's four-group framework fails to differentiate between processing methods that enhance bioavailability—such as extrusion improving protein digestibility in legumes or canning retaining water-soluble vitamins in vegetables—and those that degrade quality. For example, pasteurized yogurt or canned fish, classified as ultra-processed due to added stabilizers or packaging, often retain or exceed the nutrient density of their unprocessed counterparts, yet NOVA equates them with confectionery based on formulation alone. Peer-reviewed analyses highlight that this leads to anomalous classifications, where nutrient-dense ultra-processed options like fortified whole-grain products score poorly despite evidence from compositional databases showing superior micronutrient delivery compared to some Group 1 staples. Proponents of NOVA, often aligned with public health paradigms emphasizing systemic food industry critiques, defend this by rejecting "nutritionism," but detractors from clinical nutrition research argue it undermines causal understanding of health outcomes, as processing's effects on nutrient absorption and metabolic responses vary widely by food matrix and individual physiology.[35][46] Empirical cross-classification studies reveal substantial discordance between NOVA and nutrient-based systems; for instance, up to 30% of foods deemed "healthy" by profiling algorithms like Nutri-Score fall into NOVA's ultra-processed category, including items with low glycemic loads and high fiber content. This divergence underscores NOVA's limitations in addressing diet-related diseases, where randomized trials emphasize total nutrient intake and food synergies over processing heuristics. Critics, including those in journals focused on evidence-based nutrition, note that NOVA's ignorance of fortification—responsible for reducing deficiencies in iodine and folate across populations since the 1990s—could perpetuate micronutrient gaps in vulnerable groups if adopted uncritically in guidelines.[43][47]

Lack of Causal Mechanisms and Alternative Explanations

Critics of the NOVA classification system contend that it fails to delineate specific causal pathways through which food processing, particularly in Group 4 (ultra-processed foods), independently contributes to adverse health outcomes, relying instead on correlational data from observational epidemiology.00291-0/fulltext) While proponents hypothesize mechanisms such as the disruption of food matrices, addition of non-culinary ingredients like emulsifiers, or enhanced palatability leading to overconsumption, empirical validation isolating these from nutritional composition remains scarce.[48] For instance, proposed effects on gut microbiome alterations or rapid nutrient absorption lack mechanistic specificity unique to processing levels, with data showing no consistent impact on appetite regulation or adiposity beyond energy intake differences.[49] The sole prominent randomized controlled trial purporting to demonstrate causality, conducted by Hall et al. in 2019, involved 20 adults consuming ad libitum diets matched for macronutrients but differing in processing; participants on the ultra-processed arm ingested 500 more calories daily and gained 0.9 kg over two weeks, yet the design confounded processing with texture softness and eating speed, which accelerated intake independently of NOVA categorization.30248-7) Subsequent analyses highlight that these outcomes align more closely with energy density and sensory properties than with industrial techniques per se, as minimally processed alternatives in the study were firmer and slower to consume.[50] Broader reviews confirm no robust evidence for processing-induced harms detached from caloric surplus or additive effects, underscoring NOVA's inability to falsify alternative drivers.00291-0/fulltext) Alternative explanations emphasize nutritional and behavioral confounders over processing: ultra-processed foods often feature elevated free sugars, refined starches, and sodium alongside reduced fiber, correlating with poorer diet quality and displacement of whole foods, which accounts for observed risks of obesity, cardiometabolic disease, and mortality in cohort studies.[48] Residual confounding by socioeconomic status, physical inactivity, and total energy consumption further attenuates purported links, as higher NOVA Group 4 intake proxies for overall unhealthy lifestyles rather than causative processing artifacts.[50] Some subcategories of ultra-processed items, such as fortified cereals or plant-based alternatives, exhibit neutral or beneficial associations with health markers when nutrient-dense, challenging the system's blanket condemnation and highlighting its neglect of compositional variance.[50] This evidentiary gap persists amid debates in public health literature, where NOVA's adoption in guidelines may prioritize anti-industry narratives—evident in its origins from researchers advocating reduced corporate food influence—over nutrient-centric models validated by decades of randomized trials on macronutrients and micronutrients.[48] Food scientists argue that processing enables nutrient fortification, pathogen reduction, and bioavailability enhancements (e.g., in pasteurized milk or milled grains), benefits unaccounted for in NOVA, potentially misdirecting policy away from verifiable caloric and dietary pattern interventions.00291-0/fulltext) Until intervention studies disentangle processing from these confounders, causal attribution remains speculative, with alternatives like energy-adjusted profiling offering more precise risk stratification.[49]

Policy Applications and Regulatory Implications

Integration into Dietary Guidelines

The NOVA classification system was first formally integrated into national dietary guidelines by Brazil's Ministry of Health in its 2014 Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population, which explicitly structures recommendations around the four NOVA groups.[14] The guidelines advise preferring unprocessed or minimally processed foods (NOVA group 1), using processed culinary ingredients (group 2) to prepare dishes from group 1 foods, limiting processed foods (group 3) to occasional consumption, and avoiding ultra-processed foods (group 4) due to their potential to displace nutrient-dense alternatives and promote overconsumption.[51] A central "golden rule" emphasizes selecting freshly prepared meals from groups 1 and 2 over group 4 products, framing ultra-processed items as industrially formulated goods that undermine traditional eating patterns and health.[52] This approach prioritizes whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and fresh meats while cautioning against items such as soft drinks, packaged snacks, and ready-to-eat meals high in added sugars, fats, and salts.[14] Subsequent adoptions have occurred primarily in Latin American countries, influenced by Brazil's model and endorsements from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Uruguay's 2011 guidelines, updated post-NOVA's 2009 proposal, incorporated warnings against processed and ultra-processed products, aligning with NOVA's emphasis on processing extent.[1] Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico have similarly embedded NOVA-inspired advice in their national frameworks, recommending minimization of ultra-processed foods in "eat less" sections to combat obesity and non-communicable diseases.[34] For instance, a 2023 analysis of 75 countries' guidelines found that 80% included directives to reduce highly processed items, with explicit NOVA-like classifications appearing in several regional policies to guide public health messaging.[53] In Europe, France's 2019 Programme National Nutrition Santé referenced NOVA categories by urging reduced intake of ultra-processed foods, though without full endorsement of the system's boundaries.[34] Globally, the World Health Organization has cited NOVA in reports on food environments and obesity prevention, encouraging member states to consider processing levels alongside nutrient profiling, but no universal integration exists as of 2025.[3] High-income countries like the United States and Canada have seen NOVA referenced in scientific debates and civil society proposals but retain traditional nutrient-based guidelines without official NOVA adoption, reflecting ongoing contention over its empirical basis.[43] These integrations often prioritize NOVA for its simplicity in public education, yet implementation varies, with Brazil's guidelines demonstrating measurable shifts in consumer awareness, though not always in purchasing behavior.[53]

Potential Economic and Consumer Impacts

The integration of NOVA classification into public policy, such as front-of-pack labeling or dietary guidelines emphasizing reduced ultra-processed food (NOVA group 4) consumption, may require food manufacturers to reformulate products, invest in alternative ingredients, or alter marketing strategies to avoid stigmatization, thereby raising operational costs for the processed food sector.[3] In Australia, diets higher in ultra-processed foods have been linked to elevated per capita employment in supply chains—particularly in beverages and cereals—and higher income generation due to manufacturing wages exceeding those in agriculture, suggesting that policies curbing such foods could diminish jobs and economic output in these industries.[54] Conversely, reductions in ultra-processed food intake through NOVA-informed interventions are projected to yield macroeconomic gains via decreased healthcare spending on obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, as these conditions correlate with higher group 4 consumption.[55] Critics of regulatory approaches based on NOVA argue that overly restrictive definitions could inadvertently reduce public funding for broader nutrition programs or lead to unintended market distortions, such as supply chain disruptions in affordable convenience foods, potentially exacerbating food insecurity in low-income populations.[56] In Brazil, where NOVA underpins national dietary guidelines adopted in 2014, household analyses indicate that ultra-processed foods often represent a cost-effective calorie source, with projections showing unhealthy options becoming relatively cheaper than nutrient-dense alternatives by 2026, which could amplify economic pressures on consumers shifting away from group 4 items.[14] [57] For consumers, exposure to NOVA-based labeling enhances recognition of ultra-processed foods but demonstrates negligible influence on purchase intentions, product evaluations, or overall dietary shifts, as evidenced by experimental studies on warning labels.[58] Lower socioeconomic status households, which allocate a greater share of budgets to ultra-processed items—up to significantly higher volumes than higher-income groups—may face affordability barriers when substituting with unprocessed or minimally processed foods (NOVA groups 1 and 2), potentially increasing out-of-pocket expenses without guaranteed nutritional or health improvements if substitutions overlook caloric density or preparation demands.[59] Public perceptions often frame ultra-processed foods as health risks, with 65% of European consumers associating them with future illnesses, yet familiarity with NOVA remains low (around 52% in surveyed U.S. adults), limiting its practical impact on shopping behaviors.[60] [61]

Alternatives and Recent Developments

Proposed Reforms and Competing Systems

Several initiatives seek to reform the NOVA classification by integrating nutritional profiling and quantitative metrics to address criticisms of oversimplification and ambiguity in defining processing levels. The International Life Sciences Institute Europe Processed Foods Task Force, in a 2025 analysis, identified key issues such as conflation of formulation (selection of ingredient quantities) with processing (treatments to achieve desired effects) and vague criteria for ultra-processed foods. They recommended a refined approach using the Nutrition Rich Food Index (NRF9.3) to quantify formulation quality, alongside a delta metric (ΔNRF9.3) to evaluate processing's nutritional impact, culminating in a two-dimensional Classification Matrix Diagram that scores foods on both axes for clearer differentiation.[35] This industry-influenced proposal, while aiming for precision, has drawn opposition from over 90 independent nutrition scientists who argue it risks diluting focus on processing's inherent harms in favor of nutrient tweaks.[62] Industry advocates, including FoodDrinkEurope, have pushed for a "next-generation" system emphasizing nutritional content, food matrix effects (e.g., how structure influences digestion), and practicality for dietary guidance, criticizing NOVA's failure to distinguish nutrient-dense processed items from unhealthy ones. A 2025–2026 project funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and led by Professor Susanne Bügel at the University of Copenhagen aims to develop such an alternative, involving both NOVA originators and critics to balance processing extent with empirical health links via intervention studies rather than observational data alone.[9] Competing systems offer distinct frameworks prioritizing ingredient scrutiny or additive risks over NOVA's broad processing categories. The WISEcode Ultra-Processed Food (Wc-UPF™) system, introduced in 2025, employs data from over 100,000 products to score foods on five levels—minimal, light, moderate, ultra, and super-ultra—based on concerning ingredients' severity and prevalence, enabling finer gradations within ultra-processed groups (e.g., distinguishing reformulated products) and providing actionable IQ scores for consumers via barcode scanning.[63] Unlike NOVA's binary tendencies, WISEcode integrates machine learning for ingredient-level intelligence, though its commercial origins via WISEcode.ai raise questions about independence from food sector influences.[64] The SIGA classification, developed as a holistico-reductionist alternative, refines UPF definitions by detailing processing techniques and categorizing additives by risk profiles (e.g., those altering sensory properties versus functional ones), aiming to guide industry reformulation and consumer choices more explicitly than NOVA's extent-and-purpose focus. Peer-reviewed comparisons highlight SIGA's edge in addressing NOVA's ambiguities around industrial ingredients, though both systems uniquely flag certain additives, with SIGA emphasizing diverse health risks from them.[65] Emerging frameworks like CHIPS (Combining Health, Intuition, Processing, and Science), proposed in a 2025 preprint, further diverge by blending processing with intuitive health cues and scientific validation, but lack widespread validation.[66] These alternatives collectively underscore ongoing debates over whether processing alone suffices or must yield to multifaceted metrics for policy relevance.

Ongoing Research and Future Directions

Researchers are exploring refinements to the NOVA classification to address its limitations in distinguishing nutritional quality within processing categories, with a 2025 systematic review identifying alternative systems that incorporate ingredient profiles and additives beyond NOVA's criteria.[12] Studies from 2023 to 2025 have applied NOVA to large food databases, revealing inconsistencies in classifying ultra-processed foods (UPFs) using cosmetic additives and rare ingredients as proxies, which could improve reproducibility but highlight the need for standardized protocols.[67] Ongoing investigations examine NOVA's integration with health outcomes, such as a 2025 analysis linking UPF consumption to all-cause mortality while questioning confounding factors like socioeconomic status and dietary reporting accuracy.[68] Research also assesses NOVA in sustainable diets, finding it useful for evaluating food naturalness but limited in capturing environmental impacts without nutritional context.[69] These efforts underscore challenges in applying NOVA to observational data, including variability in food labeling and cultural processing differences.[70] Future directions emphasize developing hybrid classifications that combine processing extent with nutrient density and fortification effects, as proposed in a 2025 critical review arguing that NOVA's binary approach overlooks beneficial ultra-processing like vitamin enrichment in staples.[71] Reforms may prioritize causal mechanistic studies, such as randomized trials on processing's isolated effects, to disentangle correlations from confounders like overconsumption of energy-dense UPFs. Industry and academic calls advocate for evidence-based updates to enhance policy utility, potentially incorporating processing purpose alongside composition for more actionable guidelines.[9] Long-term, integrating NOVA with digital tools for real-time food scanning could facilitate personalized assessments, though validation against clinical endpoints remains essential.[72]

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