ultra-processed

Also high·ly proc·essed

[uhl-truh-pros-est]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ultra-processed¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

The law, which Gov. Newsom signed on Wednesday, provides a first-ever statutory definition of ultra-processed foods in the U.S. and will ban some that are “of concern” in California schools starting in 2035.

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Under the legislation, which is expected to touch off a major overhaul of school cafeteria meals, the state’s Department of Public Health will identify ultra-processed foods “of concern” and “restricted school foods” — another prohibited category — by 2028.

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For years, scientific studies have shown that ultra-processed food can lead to significant health issues among children, increasing the risk of obesity and asthma.

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Ashley Gearhardt, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, said that children are particularly vulnerable to “high-risk” ultra-processed foods that deliver “really unnatural levels of rewarding ingredients like refined carbohydrates and added fats, and ... they’re being amplified with all these colors, preservatives and flavor enhancers.”

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The legislation will not ban all ultra-processed foods from schools — far from it.

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