food processing and reformulation Flashcards
food processing
processed food generally described as any food that has been altered from its natural state
integral to providing safe, edible, nutritious foods to population
useful for increasing shelf life of foods, optimising nutrient availability and food quality as well as to reduce food losses and waste
around 75% of food sales globally are processed
food processing is important to keep up with demand for food + to eradicate hunger
benefits of food processing
preservation
food safety
variety
nutrition
convenience
preservation
pasteurisation- treated with mild heat to eliminate pathogens + extend shelf life
pickling or canning
salting
who benefits?
- distributors cna ship products over greater distancez
- retailers can stock products for longer
- consuners can keep foods for longer
- combats food waste
food safety
wasting, pastuering, cooking, drying, freezing
who benefits?
- consumers are at lower risk of foodborne illness
variety
milling grains, mixing ingredients, adding flavours, colours or fortifications
who benefits?
- manufacturers may gain higher profit and traction in a competitive market
- consumers have access to wider variety
nutrition- fortification
fortifying milk with vitD, salt with iodine and grains with B vitamins, iron and folic acid
who benefits?
- manufactureres can use fortification as a selling point
- consumers are at lower risk for certain nutrition deficiences
- tailoring to certain dietary needs
convenience
fast foods and convenience foods
who benefits?
- manufacturers can higher sales by responding to demand for convenience food
drawbacks of food processing
nutrient loss and structural changes
additives and preservatives
increased sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats
risk of contamination
environmental impact
chemicals in food packaging
nutrient loss and structural changes
processing can lead to degradation of heat sensitive vitamins and minerals
refining process may strip away essential nutrients
processing induces significant changes to food matrix
additives and preservatives
potential health concerns or issues for individuals with sensitivities or allergies
sodium, sugar and fats
excessive consumption of these often found in processed food is linked to health issues
risk of contamination
contaminants such as bacteria, moulds, toxins and chemicals can pose health risks if not properly controlled
environmental impact
food packaging poses an enviornmental concern- air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emmisions
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chemicals in food packaging
BPA (bisphenol A)- used in food containers
the molecules can migrate into food and drink that we consume
possible ink between BPA exposure and adverse health outcomes eg CVD, T2D, certain cancers and changes to immune functions and child behaviour
food processing spectrum
NOVA- diet classification system
group 1- unprocessed or minimally processed foods eg fresh, fry orn forzen veg, fruit, grains, legumes, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seedsn
group 2- processed culinary ingredients
eg plant oils, animal fats, maple syrup, sugar, honey and salt
group 3- processed foods
eg canned/pickled vegetables, meat, fish or fruit, artisinal bread, cheese, salted meats, wine, beer and dier
group 4- ultra processed foods
eg sugar sweetened beverages, sweet and savoury reconsituted meat, pre prepared frozen dishes, ice cream etc
formulations made from a series of processes including extraction and chemical modification- very little group 1 foods
UPF and chronic noncommunicable diseases
systematic review
43 studies including cross section, prospective and case control
- meta analysis showed higher intake UPF was associated with greater risk of overweight/onesity, all cause mortality, metabolic syndrome and depression in adults
- positive association with T2D, frailty, IBS, CVD risk and breast/overall cancer
limitations of observational studies
many use FFQs that have not been validated to assess intake of UPF- eg sourdough bread vs packaged bread (different sections of nova processing)
association is not causation; no indication of mechanisms
- dietary patterms high in UPF have been associated with higher intake of calories, added sugars, sodium, sat fat, low consumption of non UPF , sedentary behaviour and socioeconomic status
study -UPF (inpatient trial)
UPF diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain- an impatient randomised controlled trial
results - mean energy intake 500kcal higher on UPF diet
mean body weight increased (+0.9kg) following 2wk UPF diet- opposite on unprocessed diet
no reported differences in pleasantness or appetite sensations
conclusions- limiting upf may be effective strategy for obesity and prevention treatmemnt
limitations- not a real world study so doednt consider the element of choice and other factors that are involved
UPF and CVD risk
potential mechanisms linking UPF to CVD risk
further research is needed to assess whether UPFs increase chronic disease risk beyond traditionally recognised individual nutrients
direct effects- high refined CH + added sugar, high total fat (incl saturated and trans), additives
energy mediated effects - high energy density, high ghrelin + reduced PYY, eating habits, timing, frequency
indirect effects- low fibre intake, smoking + alcohol intake
all lead to factors leading to CVD- oxidative stress, obesity, hypertension, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction
not all UPFs are equal
some foods in category 4 may contribute to a balanced diet and we are encouraged to consume eg wholemeal bread and low fat yogurts
may be oversimplistic to pool all of the UPF together as they do contribute to other macronutrients
UPF and cancer cardiometabolic multimorbidity
artificially sugar sweetened beverages, animal based products and sauces, spreads and condiments but notnother subgroups, were associated with increased risk
more nuanced subgroup anaylses of UPF are warranted
processed foods and international policies
- brazil- make natural or minimally processed fofoods the basis of your diet - avoiding consumption of ultra processed diets
- israel- the diet must be varied and based mainly upon unprocessed food and food that has gone undergone minimal processing
- canada- limit highly processed foods- if you choose these foods, eat them less often and in small amounts
- french govt has set target of reducing UPF in the national diet by 20% between 2018 and 2022
UPF as a proportion of foods purchased and consumed
consumed
- UPF=57%
- processed=9%
- culinary ingredients=4%
- unprocessed= 30%
countries
in europe, UK has highest % of UPF as a % of household purchases (50.7)
germany- 46.2%
spain- 20.3%
portugal- 10.2%
in UK it is cheapest to buy UPF as they are frequently on promotion, making it very easy and cheap to overconsume on these types of food
countries like france do not offer promotions on these types of foods
SACN statement on processed foods and health
- consumption of UPF may be an indicator of other unhealthy dieatary patterns and lifestyle behaviours and diets high in UPF are often energy dense, high sat fat, salt or free sugars, high in processed meat, and or low in fruit and vegetables and dibre
- opbserved associations between higher consumptions of UPF and the adverse health outcomes are concerning, but the limitations in the NOVA classification system, potenntial for confounding and the possibility that the observed advrse associations with UPF are covered by existing UK dietary recommendations mean that evidence should be treated with caution
food reform strategies
potential to improve dietary intakes by changing the composition of foods without changing consumer’s eating habits or food choices
consumer acceptance- key driver of effectiveness in changing dietary intakes
food reformulation
redesigning an existing processed food product with the objective of making it healthier
can target specific nutrients in processed foods
goal to contribute to a better environment for consumers
food environment
non commicable diseases are leading cause of death worldwide
largely caused by lifestyle factors incl unhealthy diet
exposure to a healthy food environment has been shown to be a stronger driver of healthy eating than health promotion and education efforts
food environments can be changed by reformulation of packaged and processed foods
successful reformulation strategies
food refom strategies have been successfully utilised to improve the salt and trans fatty acid profile of commonly consumed processed foods
silent product reformulation/gradual step reduction - modification of food products, without making the consumer explicitly aware, may be an effective strategy for project reformulation
help to maintain consumers’ acceptance of products
sodium (salt) reduction
recommended 5g per day but most adults in the UK will eat 7g/day
~4/5s of salt we consume is already in foods we buy
salt is leading cause of HBP (hypertension)
trans fats
produced through the process of hydrogenation- hydrogen atoms are added to make them more solid at room temp
raises LDL and reduces HDL, increases of heart disease
some evidence thought that trans fats were better for individuals than saturated fat, however evidence isnt completely true
WHO have a goal of eliminating trans fats from all food production
studies show that reformulation led to a sig decrease in trans fatty acid intake
reformulation + CVD
empirical impact of reformultion intitiatives on overall CVD morbidity and mortality
- food reformulation has potential to improve people’s diet and health
- changes in the nutrient composition of food products translates into changes in balance of nutrients from food purchased by consumers
- decrease in sodium and TFA contents in foods results in changes in intakes of those nutrients
- decreased TFA content in foods tends to be associated with decreased mortality from CVD at population level
