Professor Purwanto Hariyadi, a Professor of Food Science and\nTechnology at IPB University, stated that food quality cannot be judged\nsolely based on the level of processing, but also requires looking at\nnutritional content and the purpose of the food processing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no scientific basis to conclude that the more complex or\nthe more processing stages a food undergoes, the worse its quality will\nbe. What needs to be assessed is what processes are performed, under\nwhat conditions, what changes they induce, and which quality attributes\nare affected,\u201d said Prof.\u00a0Purwiyatno on Friday (25\/09\/2026).<\/p>\n
He noted that several studies have indeed found a link between high\nconsumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and various health problems.\nOne major review published in the BMJ in 2024 found a connection between\nUPF consumption and several health conditions, including obesity, type 2\ndiabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, and various causes\nof death.<\/p>\n
However, he added that this relationship cannot be directly\ninterpreted to mean that the processing itself is the cause. Nutritional\ncontent, formulation, quantity and frequency of consumption, as well as\noverall dietary patterns, also need to be considered.<\/p>\n
Food processing itself serves various purposes. He explained that\nheating, pasteurisation, sterilisation, fermentation, drying, and\nfreezing can be performed to increase safety, extend shelf life, improve\ndigestibility, or produce specific characteristics in food.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need is not simpler labels, but information that is\nincreasingly specific and measurable,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expert-not-all-ultra-processed-foods-are-bad-understand-nutritional-content-1790438077", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }