Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges US definition of ultraprocessed foods

U.S. health official Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pressing federal regulators to adopt a legal definition of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs). A clear definition would allow the government to standardize nutritional labeling, impose taxes, restrict marketing to children, and require warning labels on products that meet the NOVA framework’s criteria for high‑level industrial processing.

Food‑industry lobbyists oppose the move, warning that it could trigger costly restrictions and reduce sales of commodity snack and convenience items. The push reflects a broader shift from nutrient‑by‑nutrient guidelines toward assessing the degree of food processing as a determinant of health outcomes. Comparisons are drawn to European regulators, where stricter precautionary standards already apply to many additives permitted in the United States.

If enacted, the definition could reshape public‑health policy and consumer information across the United States, though implementation details remain under debate.