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Session: Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Health Outcomes (Poster Theater Flash Session 3)

(PTFS03-05-23) Nutritional Quality, Level of Food Processing, and the Charitable Food System

Sunday, July 23, 2023

8:21 AM – 8:25 AM ET

Location: Fairfax

Presenting Author(s)

Maria Gombi-Vaca, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers)

Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Connecticut Rudd Center for food Policy and Health
West Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

KR

Kristen N. Rossi

University of Connecticut
CC

Caitlin Caspi

University of Connecticut

Disclosure(s):

Maria F. Gombi-Vaca, PhD, MPH: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to understand how foods categorized by their level of processing would be classified according to other classification systems developed for charitable foods.

Methods: We analyzed secondary data from 503 clients’ carts from 16 Minnesota food pantries. Foods (n=21,026) were ranked green (choose often), yellow (choose sometimes), red (choose rarely), or not ranked, according to the Healthy Eating Research Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. The foods were then categorized by their level of processing according to the NOVA food classification system as unprocessed/minimally processed food, culinary ingredient, processed food, or ultra-processed food. We described the percentage of foods from NOVA categories and subgroups in each nutritional rank.

Results: Unprocessed/minimally processed foods represented 36% of the foods in the sample, culinary ingredients 3%, processed foods 18%, and ultra-processed foods 43%. Among unprocessed/minimally processed foods (n=7663), 74% were ranked green, 16% yellow, 7% red, and 3% not ranked. The most frequent unprocessed/minimally processed food subgroups ranked green (n=5703) were vegetables (22%) and fruits (21%); yellow (n=1223) were meats (5%) and fruits (3%); red (n=530) were meats (5%) and mixed dishes (2%); and not ranked (n=207) were grains (2%) and spices and dry herbs (1%). Among ultra-processed foods (n=9006), 10% were ranked green, 23% yellow, 56% red, and 10% not ranked. The most frequent ultra-processed food subgroups ranked green (n=915) were frozen and shelf-stable meals (5%) and breads (2%), ranked yellow (n=2070) were breads (9%) and breakfast cereals (4%), ranked red (n=5088) were cakes and cookies (23%) and instant and canned soups (9%), and not ranked (n=933) were spreads and dips (4%) and sauces and dressings (4%).

Conclusions: Most ultra-processed foods, but not all, were ranked red, and most unprocessed/minimally processed foods were ranked green. When integrated, the two nutrient assessments methods, the Healthy Eating Research guidelines and NOVA, can offer a superior assessment for understanding which foods to prioritize sourcing in the limited-resourced charitable food system.

Funding Sources: Data analyzed were based on a study supported by the National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.