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In the United States, federal agencies are actively working towards a clear, science-based definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a move that could pave the way for future regulatory and policy measures to control their consumption due to associated health risks.
The push for a uniform definition of UPFs comes as a response to growing concerns about the impact of these foods on public health. Ultraprocessed foods, which account for up to 70% of the US food supply, are linked to obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other health disorders. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services Department secretary, and his MAHA movement have brought attention to unhealthy foods, chronic disease, and major companies' influence on the food system in America.
In July 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a joint Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder data to help define ultra-processed foods uniformly across the U.S. food supply. This initiative is crucial because, at present, there is no single authoritative federal definition of UPFs, which complicates regulation, labeling, and health policy targeting these products.
The effort is partly a response to the Make America Healthy Again (“MAHA”) Commission, launched under President Trump, which in May 2025 issued the “Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment.” This report characterized UPFs as "packaged and ready-to-consume products formulated for shelf life and/or palatability but typically high in added sugars, refined grains, unhealthy fats, and sodium and low in fiber and essential nutrients." It linked UPFs to negative health outcomes, especially among children, including nutrient depletion and rising diet-related chronic diseases.
Under the current HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, these agencies are emphasizing the health risks posed by UPFs and are accelerating federal efforts to gather data, define these products, and eventually create policies that might reduce their health impact. The FDA is also collaborating with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on research programs to better understand the nutritional and health impacts of UPFs to inform regulatory science and policy decisions.
However, the administration's actions have not been without controversy. Nutritionists and public health researchers dispute the administration's claim that its policies are effective, stating that the changes are performative and have no health impact. The administration has slashed billions in research funding and fired thousands of employees at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, and other agencies, which critics argue undermines the very efforts to improve public health.
Moreover, the Trump administration's sweeping tax and spending cuts package is expected to leave 10 million more people without health insurance in 2034. Additionally, the Agriculture Department cut two pandemic-era programs that help schools and food banks buy from local farmers, a move that critics argue could exacerbate food insecurity and further encourage the consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Advocates will be looking to see if the administration may try to mandate front-of-package warning labels or crack down on marketing junk food to children, or create dietary guidelines with recommendations for limits to ultraprocessed foods. The Center for Science in the Public Interest's science director, Aviva Musicus, has expressed concern about the lack of a plan to hold industry accountable for not cooperating in improving the food supply.
As the debate over ultra-processed foods continues, one thing is clear: the lack of a consistent, science-based definition of UPFs has hindered regulatory efforts and has left the public vulnerable to the health risks associated with these foods. The ongoing work by federal agencies to define UPFs is a crucial step towards addressing this issue and improving public health in the United States.
[1] FDA, HHS, and USDA Issue Joint Request for Information on Ultra-Processed Foods
[2] Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment
[3] FDA, HHS, and USDA Seek Stakeholder Data to Help Define Ultra-Processed Foods Uniformly Across the U.S. Food Supply
[4] FDA, HHS, and USDA Collaborate on Research Programs to Better Understand the Nutritional and Health Impacts of Ultra-Processed Foods
[5] FDA, HHS, and USDA Joint RFI on Ultra-Processed Foods: A Step Towards Improved Regulation and Policy
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have issued a joint Request for Information to gather stakeholder data, aiming to define ultra-processed foods uniformly across the U.S. food supply.
- In May 2025, the "Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment" report, launched under the MAHA Commission, characterized ultra-processed foods as high in added sugars, refined grains, unhealthy fats, and sodium, and low in fiber and essential nutrients, linking them to negative health outcomes, especially among children.
- The FDA, HHS, and USDA are collaborating on research programs to better understand the nutritional and health impacts of ultra-processed foods, with the goal of informing regulatory science and policy decisions.
- The joint RFI by the FDA, HHS, and USDA is a significant step towards improving regulation and policy over ultra-processed foods, potentially leading to measures to control their consumption due to associated health risks.
