What is ultra-processed food?

Ultra-processed food (UPF) is food that has been industrially formulated using ingredients and processing methods that do not exist in any home kitchen, including additives, preservatives, synthetic flavorings, emulsifiers, and ingredients designed to extend shelf life, drive cravings, and lower production costs.


It now makes up the majority of what is sold in the American grocery store, which means most families have been eating it without ever knowing it. That is not a failure of parents or shoppers: it is a failure of a system that was never built to tell them. A growing body of independent science continues to investigate what ultra-processed food does to the body, and what researchers find will matter for every family making decisions at the kitchen table.


The WISEcode Food Truth™ app changes that. Scan any product and you will see, instantly, whether it falls into the ultra-processed category, so you can decide for yourself.