Throughout history, the act of food processing has played an important role in human nutrition and evolution. At first, minimal processing such as cooking, curing, and smoking was used to improve shelf-life and enable transport. Afterwards more advanced processing techniques became the norm to increase food availability and safety. However, in the last decades scientific and technological advancements enabled ‘ultra-processing leading to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Rapidly adopted by many, the increase in the intake of UPFs is especially pronounced in low-middle and upper-middle income countries. However, several studies have focused on the detrimental effects UPFs have on human health, showing an increased risk for non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes type 2, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases. Since UPFs are omnipresent and a condition to maintain a growing global population, we review the literature on the duality of food processing, encompassing both detrimental effects as well as positive aspects. Doing so we identify the need for future studies to better understand which components of UPFs affect health to help shape healthy and sustainable UPFs of the future.

Ultra-processed foods

Food safety

Food security

© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.