Ultra-Processed Foods and the 2025 Dietary Guidelines: Nova Classification, Policy, and the Food Environment

Science Friday host Flora Lichtman leads a discussion with Laura Schmidt and Alyssa Moran about the latest dietary guidelines, ultra-processed foods, and policy implications. The panel debates the role of the food environment in shaping eating choices, the Nova classification used to define ultra-processed foods, and how government purchasing and school meals can influence what people eat. They also scrutinize conflicts of interest in guideline development and consider practical steps, from taxes on sugary products to investments in kitchens and staff for schools, to shift away from ultra-processed foods toward minimally processed options. The episode illuminates how policy, industry, and science intersect to shape everyday nutrition.

Overview and context

Science Friday dives into ultra-processed foods (UPFs), the Nova classification, and the federal dietary guidelines that seek to curb UPF consumption. Host Flora Lichtman chats with UC San Francisco public health scholar Laura Schmidt and Penn nutrition policy expert Alyssa Moran about why the food environment matters as much as individual choices. The guests acknowledge that despite guidelines discouraging UPFs, the grocery landscape makes avoidance difficult because UPFs are ubiquitous and often cheaper, complicating health equity goals.

"the real problems are in the food environment, and they are really beyond the individual's ability to control what's available" - Laura Schmidt

Policy, guidelines, and industry influence

The conversation surveys the Dietary Guidelines for Americans process, including the role of scientific advisory committees and the political realities that can shape final recommendations. The panel discusses concerns about conflicts of interest, particularly around meat and dairy industry ties, and contrasts the current process with Brazil’s longer-standing guidance to avoid ultra-processed foods. They also reflect on the practical impact of the guidelines, noting that they guide federal nutrition programs like school meals, which can alter what schools serve to students.

"a food is ultra processed when it is intentionally designed by food companies to be optimally reinforcing" - Alyssa Moran

Nova Classification and ultra-processed foods

The guests explain the Nova framework and its focus on the intent behind processing rather than mere processing. They describe how consumers and regulators increasingly distinguish between minimally processed foods and ultra-processed ones, and they consider the risk of companies reformulating to sidestep classifications. The discussion also covers regulatory gaps, such as ingredient oversight, and the FDA’s evolving priorities that could tighten post-market reviews of new ingredients.

"hundreds of studies showing that they cause behaviors that are consistent with substance use disorders" - Alyssa Moran

Health outcomes, regulatory action, and practical steps

The episode reviews the evidence linking UPFs to cardio-metabolic diseases, obesity, and other health issues, while acknowledging the challenges of mechanistic certainty for immediate regulation. The speakers advocate for policy tools used in tobacco and alcohol control, including taxes and subsidies that favor minimally processed foods, plus investments in school infrastructure, kitchen capacity, and fair reimbursement to support healthier meals for kids. They stress that the dietary guidelines are not just consumer advice but a legal framework for federal nutrition programs and food procurement.

"it's not hard. It's not complicated, and we've done it before. And like I said, we've been regulating alcohol" - Alyssa Moran