Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods
Food classification systems have been proposed to improve food quality criteria. Among these systems, “processing level” has been used as a criterion. NOVA classification, as the denotation “ultra-processed” food (UPF), has been widely used in different countries. However, even though some studies h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Foods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1359 |
| _version_ | 1797504762202030080 |
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| author | Juliana Sarmiento-Santos Melissa B. N. Souza Lydia S. Araujo Juliana M. V. Pion Rosemary A. Carvalho Fernanda M. Vanin |
| author_facet | Juliana Sarmiento-Santos Melissa B. N. Souza Lydia S. Araujo Juliana M. V. Pion Rosemary A. Carvalho Fernanda M. Vanin |
| author_sort | Juliana Sarmiento-Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Food classification systems have been proposed to improve food quality criteria. Among these systems, “processing level” has been used as a criterion. NOVA classification, as the denotation “ultra-processed” food (UPF), has been widely used in different countries. However, even though some studies have pointed out some controversial aspects, no study has evaluated its comprehension by the population where it is used as reference. Therefore, this study explored the understanding of the term UPF for Brazilian consumers, where this denotation has been used in the last 8 years. A questionnaire was used, with questions referring to different aspects of self-assessment of knowledge about UPF. Altogether, 939 valid participants completed the questionnaire, and 81.9% of them declared to know the term UPF. For 78.2%, a better definition for UPF should be “foods that have gone through many processes in industry”. Finally, it was concluded that the term UPF is still confusing for most Brazilians, indicating the risk of use and the urgent necessity to improve the classifications systems and consequently consumer understanding. Only when all parties interested in healthy food work together could this problem be solved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:08:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-306cfd94cd1e429e848256e0ae001bf5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:08:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-306cfd94cd1e429e848256e0ae001bf52023-11-23T08:14:21ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-05-01119135910.3390/foods11091359Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed FoodsJuliana Sarmiento-Santos0Melissa B. N. Souza1Lydia S. Araujo2Juliana M. V. Pion3Rosemary A. Carvalho4Fernanda M. Vanin5Laboratory of Bread and Dough Process (LAPROPAMA), Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (USP/FZEA), University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, SP, BrazilLaboratory of Bread and Dough Process (LAPROPAMA), Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (USP/FZEA), University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, SP, BrazilLaboratory of Bread and Dough Process (LAPROPAMA), Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (USP/FZEA), University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, SP, BrazilNOZ Pesquisa e Inteligência, Rua Cauowaá, 1575-92, São Paulo 01258-011, SP, BrazilFood Engineering Department, Macromolecules Functionality Multi-User Center (CEMFUM), Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (USP/FZEA), University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, SP, BrazilLaboratory of Bread and Dough Process (LAPROPAMA), Food Engineering Department, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (USP/FZEA), University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, SP, BrazilFood classification systems have been proposed to improve food quality criteria. Among these systems, “processing level” has been used as a criterion. NOVA classification, as the denotation “ultra-processed” food (UPF), has been widely used in different countries. However, even though some studies have pointed out some controversial aspects, no study has evaluated its comprehension by the population where it is used as reference. Therefore, this study explored the understanding of the term UPF for Brazilian consumers, where this denotation has been used in the last 8 years. A questionnaire was used, with questions referring to different aspects of self-assessment of knowledge about UPF. Altogether, 939 valid participants completed the questionnaire, and 81.9% of them declared to know the term UPF. For 78.2%, a better definition for UPF should be “foods that have gone through many processes in industry”. Finally, it was concluded that the term UPF is still confusing for most Brazilians, indicating the risk of use and the urgent necessity to improve the classifications systems and consequently consumer understanding. Only when all parties interested in healthy food work together could this problem be solved.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1359offer intentionNOVA classificationbaby foodconsumer knowledgefood processing level |
| spellingShingle | Juliana Sarmiento-Santos Melissa B. N. Souza Lydia S. Araujo Juliana M. V. Pion Rosemary A. Carvalho Fernanda M. Vanin Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods Foods offer intention NOVA classification baby food consumer knowledge food processing level |
| title | Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods |
| title_full | Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods |
| title_fullStr | Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods |
| title_short | Consumers’ Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods |
| title_sort | consumers understanding of ultra processed foods |
| topic | offer intention NOVA classification baby food consumer knowledge food processing level |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1359 |
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