IFT’s Journal of Food Science Releases Special Issue on Ultra-processed Foods

CHICAGO – February 25, 2025 – IFT’s Journal of Food Science (JFS) a highly respected peer-reviewed journal featuring the latest scientific food research, has released a special issue on ultra-processed foods (UPFs). This free-to-read collection compiles new research and critical reviews on the role of UPFs in food science and the global food system.

The research featured in this special issue explores advancements in the characterization of UPFs, the impact of innovative ingredients and technologies on quality and safety, the expectation and perception of consumers, and the influence of consumption on nutrition and health, as well as the definition of UPFs under the Nova food classification system. The issue also includes insights on a variety of food types including meat and plant-based meat substitutes in addition to dairy products and dairy alternatives.

“Though UPFs are an often-debated category of food, there is a lack of academic consensus around their definition, safety profiles, and dietary outcomes. The research in this special issue brings us closer to a better understanding of UPFs and their role within our global food system,” said JFS Scientific Editor, Mario Estévez, DVM, PhD, Professor at the Universidad de Extremadura, Spain.

The Journal of Food Science is an academic publication of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization committed to advancing the science of food and its application across the global food system. IFT also publishes Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (CRFSFS), which features a variety of unique reviews addressing the chemical, microbiological, physical, sensory, and nutritional properties of foods, food processing and engineering.

At last year’s IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo, Estévez participated in a special session sponsored by IFT Journals on UPFs alongside Kevin Hall, PhD, Senior Investigator at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Julie Hess, PhD, Research Nutritionist at the United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS), and Youling Xiong, PhD, Professor at the University of Kentucky. The session was moderated by Anna Rosales, IFT’s Senior Director of Government Affairs and Nutrition.

Registration for IFT FIRST 2025 opens in early March.

Recently, IFT hosted a webinar, “Navigating the Science of Ultra-processed Foods,” which explored the University of Copenhagen's new two-year initiative that aims to build consensus in around the Nova classification of UPFs. IFT has also compiled an Ultra-processed Foods Content Collection, which includes resources from JFS, CRFSFS, as well as insights from IFT’s magazine, Food Technology, and its award-winning companion podcast, Omnivore.

Read the special issue on ultra-processed foods.

About Institute of Food Technologists

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization of approximately 11,000 individual members from more than 90 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges. IFT works to ensure that its members have the resources they need to learn, grow, and innovate to advance the science of food as the population and the world evolve. IFT believes that science and innovation is essential to ensuring a global food supply that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all. For more information, please visit ift.org.

Media Contacts

Dennis Van Milligen
Director, External Relations
Institute of Food Technologists
630-853-3022
[email protected]

Frannie Comstock
Manager, PR and Organizational Communications
Institute of Food Technologists
513-374-8900
[email protected]