ultra-processed

American  

[uhl-truh-pros-est] / ˈʌl trəˈprɒs ɛst /

Also highly processed

adjective

1. being, consisting of, or relating to a food product whose form and substance have gone through multiple processes of modification along with the addition of such ingredients as sugars, salt, fats, and artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

   My intake of ultra-processed foods is down to an occasional hotdog at the ballpark and one weekly order of chicken nuggets.

   The study found that participants eating an ultra-processed diet ate faster.

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Etymology

Origin of ultra-processed

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Chicken tenders, buttered noodles, the multi-billion dollar industries of American fast food and ultra-processed snack foods have created a category that didn’t necessarily need to exist.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

Target has said it will stop selling breakfast cereals that are made with synthetic colours by the end of May, marking the latest response by a retailer to backlash against ultra-processed foods.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Guernsey based nutritional therapist Carol Champion advised people with coeliac disease to eat more foods that were "naturally gluten free" such as potatoes, rice, oats and sweet potatoes, rather than buying too many ultra-processed foods.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

The former heavyweight champ has lent his face to an ad campaign with the slogan "Eat Real Food," as opposed to ultra-processed products that are popular in America.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Today, ultra-processed foods make up nearly 60% of the average adult diet in the United States and about 70% of children's diets.

From Science Daily • Feb. 10, 2026