Expert: Food quality cannot be judged solely by processing levels

There is no scientific basis to conclude that the more complex or numerous the processing stages of a food product, the worse its quality must be.

Prof. Purwiyatno Hariyadi, a Professor of Food Science and Technology at IPB University, stated that food quality cannot be assessed solely based on the level of processing; instead, it is necessary to examine nutritional content and the objectives of the food processing.

“There is no scientific basis to conclude that the more complex or numerous the processing stages of a food, the worse its quality must be. What needs to be assessed is what processes are performed, under what conditions, what changes they induce, and which quality attributes are affected,” said Prof. Purwiyatno.

Speaking in Jakarta on Friday, he noted that while several studies have found a link between high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and various health issues—including a major 2024 review in the BMJ linking UPF to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental disorders, and various causes of death—this link cannot be directly interpreted as processing being the sole cause. Nutritional content, formulation, quantity, frequency of consumption, and overall dietary patterns must also be taken into account.

Food processing serves various purposes. He explained that heating, pasteurisation, sterilisation, fermentation, drying, and freezing can be used to enhance safety, extend shelf life, improve digestibility, or produce specific food characteristics.

“What we need is not simpler labels, but information that is increasingly specific and measurable,” he added.

Furthermore, the International Special Dietary Foods Industries (ISDI) has warned that using an overly broad UPF classification risks placing products with vastly different functions and nutritional profiles into the same category. Therefore, the context of food use is vital. Products high in sugar, salt, or saturated fats that are consumed excessively should not be treated the same as products formulated to meet specific nutritional needs simply because both undergo multiple processing stages.

In alignment with this view, Prof. Ali Khomsan, a public nutrition expert from IPB University, stated that the debate regarding UPF does not mean the public must choose between accepting or avoiding all foods within that category.