Parkinson’s disease, digestive disorders, cardiovascular problems… A recent study published in The Lancet highlights the excess mortality associated with the habitual consumption of so-called “ultraprocessed” foods.
This latest alarm once again puts emphasis on this problem. A topic that scientists have been studying for several decades. Each new study reinforces the certainty: we must limit the consumption of these products, which today occupy too large a proportion on our plates. Including children, who swallow almost twice as much.
However, the consumer has few keys to identify these ubiquitous products in large and medium-sized stores, “almost 70% of the industrial supply, products packaged with a barcode,” according to a study carried out by researchers among whom is Anthony Fardet, specialist in human nutrition at INRAE.
How to navigate between departments, products and labels to find the “cleanest” products? A guide from BFMTV.com with the help of experts.
• What is an “ultraprocessed” product?
An ultra-processed product is defined as a food “that has undergone significant transformation processes by the agri-food industry”, in its content or form, as Mathilde Touvier, director of research in nutritional epidemiology, explains to BFMTV.com at Inserm. . . A profound change in the food matrix.
On the one hand, it can involve physical transformations, such as those suffered by breakfast cereals, which are called “extruded”, which allows them to obtain their recognizable brittle and porous texture.
But ultra-processing can also involve the addition of additives, which aim to modify the taste, appearance or smell. Aromas, or cosmetic additives, to which is added another category that contains elements such as hydrogenated fats, or ultra-processed sugars such as glucose-fructose syrup.
There is also a gradation in products, some contain a single additive, others combine them. In this area, the less, the more.
• The seal, the most reliable source
The physical transformation is more difficult for the consumer to identify. The rest is easily found on the back of the product.
“We have calculated that beyond 5 ingredients, that is, 6 and more, there is almost an 80% chance that the food is ultra-processed. Basically, the longer the list, the more necessary it is. You have to be careful, above all if you see names that you don’t have in your kitchen,” summarizes Anthony Fardet.
Therefore, you have to look for E56, E12 or other “artificial flavors”. Preservatives do not fall within the definition of an ultra-processed product. “These are preservatives that serve to prevent certain microbiological risks, such as botulism, which ultimately have beneficial effects on health,” explains Mathilde Touvier.
• Some rays are more affected than others
Even before picking up a product, consumers can adjust their alertness based on the shelves. Because, although more fresh products such as bulk vegetables are saved, there are still differences within the types of products.
In the sections of prepared dishes, sweet products, industrial pastries and cookies, industrial meats and sausages and savory products, the rate of ultra-processed products exceeds 70%. “We are falling below 60% in the case of seafood, beverages and dairy products,” lists Anthony Fardet.
There is a good student, the organic section where half of the products are not ultra-processed. And a bad student, where we find the majority of products intended for children.
• The price factor, an important criterion
Why do manufacturers sometimes choose to substitute sugar or butter with alternatives? The price! The price difference between glucose syrup and table sugar, for example, is one in ten.
“The lower the prices, the more likely it is to be ultra-processed. To reach such low prices, it is no secret that we replace noble ingredients with cosmetic agents that mark ultra-transformation,” explains Anthony Fardet.
On average, an ultra-formed product costs 17% less, with some exceptions. But what is true in France is not true everywhere. In other cultures, these products may cost much more and may not be targeted at the poorest socioeconomic groups.
• The false ally: Nutriscore
Since its entry into force, Nutriscore is already well known by consumers. It serves to “facilitate the understanding of nutritional information by consumers”, as specified by Santé Pública France. Contextual information within a department, to clarify the quality of a product compared to a similar one.
But the ultratransformation dimension is not taken into account in the calculation. An Inrae study on the previous Nutriscore system showed that half of the products with Nutriscore “A” or “B” were ultra-processed products.
“The Nutriscore now includes a penalty for sugary drinks, so there is still a dimension that is beginning to be addressed,” says the Inserm researcher. It states that the researchers propose a new system with a “black band” that indicates “ultra-processed product.” Lobbyists oppose this idea.
• Promotions, packaging, specific mentions… Massive clues
The label, the department, the type of food… These broad lines can provide a lot of information to buyers. Experts also list other contextual pathways, even based on empirical observations.
The specific mentions “enriched with”, “source of”, for example vitamins or proteins, sometimes hide ultra-processed products. The same goes for low-fat products.
Source: BFM TV
