Topic 2.2: Types of food processing: the NOVA classification system

The NOVA group 1 includes unprocessed or minimally processed foods.

Unprocessed foods include the edible parts of plants (e.g., fruit, seeds, leaves, roots) or animals (e.g., eggs, milk) as well as spring and tap water.

Minimally processed foods include all foods altered by methods including removal of inedible parts, drying, crushing, grinding, powdering, fractioning, filtering, roasting, boiling, fermentation (non-alcoholic), pasteurisation, chilling, freezing, placing in containers and vacuum packaging.

In these processes salt, sugar, oils, fats or other food substances are not to be added to the original food.

The NOVA group 2 includes products derived from NOVA group 1 or nature by processes such as pressing, refining, grinding, milling and drying (e.g., oil, sugar, salt).

These products are used to prepare, season and cook foods that belong to the NOVA group 1.

They may contain additives that prolong the life of a product, protect original food properties or prevent the proliferation of microorganisms.

The NOVA group 3 includes products made by adding salt, sugar or ingredients from the NOVA group 2 to unprocessed foods using preservation methods (e.g., canning, bottling) and non-alcoholic fermentation (bread, cheese).

The processes are designed to increase durability of foods and make them more palatable.

They may also contain additives that prolong the life of products, protect original food properties or prevent the proliferation of microorganisms.

The NOVA group 4 includes products that involve formulations of ingredients, most of exclusive industrial use, typically made by a series of industrial techniques and processes that require sophisticated equipment and technology, hence the term ‘ultra-processed’.

Ingredients that belong to this group are food substances of no or rare culinary use (e.g., high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, hydrolised proteins) or additives (e.g., flavour enhancers, emulsifiers, sweeteners, bulking agents) that make the final product palatable or more appealing, prolong its shelf-life, protect its original properties or prevent the proliferation of microorganisms.

Foods that belong to this group are:

• Ready-to-consume products: Carbonated soft drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, chocolate, candies, ice-cream, commercial packaged breads and buns, margarines and other spreads, cookies, pastries, cakes, breakfast ‘cereals’, ‘cereal’ and ‘energy’ bars, ‘energy’ drinks, milk drinks, ‘fruit’ yoghurts and ‘fruit’ drinks, ‘cocoa’ drinks, ‘instant’ sauces.
• Pre-prepared ready-to-heat products: Pies/pasta/pizza dishes, poultry and fish ‘nuggets’ and ‘sticks’, sausages, burgers, hot dogs and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged ‘instant’ soups, noodles, desserts.
• Other products such as infant formulas, follow-on milks, other baby products, ‘health’ and ‘slimming’ products such as meal replacement shakes and powders.

Existing food labels are not designed for identifying products from the NOVA 4 group,  therefore, cautious interpretation is required!