In this assessment of the nutritional impacts of processed
foods, we conclude that processed foods are nutritionally important
to American diets. They contribute to both food security
(ensuring that sufficient food is available) and nutrition security
(ensuring that food quality meets human nutrient needs).
Research has shown that processed foods provide both nutrients
to encourage and constituents to limit as specified in the
2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Therefore, although
food processing has had positive impacts on human health, some
of those successes have produced foods that, when consumed
inappropriately or at inordinately high proportions of a total diet,
are deleterious to health. Diets are more likely to meet food guidance
recommendations if nutrient-dense foods, either processed or
not, are selected.
This initial assessment of the role of processed foods in nutrition
and health identified many topics for further research,
including the need for more complete data collection and re-
finement of the diverse measures of processed foods, especially to
compare foods eaten at home with those consumed away from
home. Also, there is a priority to develop new technologies to
preserve foods in a manner that increases their nutrient density
and simultaneously decreases the constituents that have been
identified as dietary components to limit. Finally, consumer definitions
of processed foods need more research and education.
Nutrition and food science professionals, the food industry,
and other stakeholders can help to improve the diets of Americans
by providing a nutritious food supply that is safe, enjoyable,
affordable, and sustainable; by communicating effectively and
accurately with each other; and by working together to improve
the overall knowledge of consumers.
The authors’ responsibilities were as follows—All authors contributed to
the writing, editing, and revision of the manuscript.