What is the NOVA method of food classification?

Food processing ensures safety and shelf life by transforming raw components into new products. In the last several decades, this has changed in response to customer expectations for foods that are more delicious and long-lasting, which frequently leads to the addition of artificial or natural components.

Examining the possible detrimental effects of consuming a lot of processed foods on diet quality and general health has become more interesting as a result.1 Human diets are increasingly including more industrially processed foods, leading to various systems for classifying foods based on processing criteria. Among these, the NOVA system is the most widely used. 2

The NOVA classification—which divides foods into four primary groups according to the extent of processing—was proposed by a team of Brazilian researchers under Monteiro’s direction. This categorization does not include a breakdown of the nutrients in the foods.1

The four NOVA food categories

According to NOVA, food processing refers to the physical, biological, and chemical procedures that take place following the separation of food from its natural state and prior to its consumption or usage in the making of dishes and meals.

NOVA does not account for culinary techniques used in home or restaurant kitchens to prepare food, such as fractioning, cooking, seasoning, and blending different foods or eliminating non-edible components.3

The NOVA system classifies foods into four categories: (i) NOVA1 includes unprocessed or minimally processed foods, (ii) NOVA2 comprises culinary ingredients (iii) NOVA3 covers processed foods, and (iv) NOVA4 includes ultra-processed foods.

Category 1: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods

These foods undergo minimal processing, removing inedible parts and applying methods like drying, crushing, and pasteurization without adding chemicals like sugar, salt, or oils.

The main goal is to extend the shelf life of unprocessed foods through freezing, drying, or refrigeration while facilitating preparation by altering textures or removing undesirable components.

Group 1 foods include fresh produce, cereals like wheat and rice, legumes like beans and lentils, and dairy products such as milk and yogurt without added sugars.

Other examples are meats, fish, eggs, pasta, nuts, spices, and granola made without sugars or oils. Some foods may contain rare additives, like stabilizers in ultra-pasteurized milk, primarily to preserve their integrity.

Overall, minimally processed foods maintain their inherent qualities while improving shelf life and ease of preparation.3

Category 2: Processed culinary ingredients

The second NOVA category includes processed culinary ingredients derived from Group 1 foods or nature through methods like pressing, refining, and grinding. These ingredients are primarily used in kitchens for cooking, seasoning, and preparing Group 1 meals, allowing for diverse dishes like soups, breads, and desserts.

Group 2 foods include salt, sugar, honey, butter, and vegetable oils, which are rarely consumed on their own. This category also includes items made from two Group 2 components, like salted butter and iodized salt. Some Group 2 products may contain additives, such as preservatives in vinegar or antioxidants in oils, to maintain quality.

Overall, this category comprises essential cooking ingredients that enhance the flavor and preparation of minimally processed foods.3

Category 3: Processed foods

The third NOVA group consists of processed foods created by adding sugar, oil, salt, or other Group 2 substances to Group 1 foods. These foods typically feature two or three ingredients.

Various preservation and cooking methods are used, including non-alcoholic fermentation for items like bread and cheese, with the primary aim of enhancing the durability and sensory qualities of Group 1 foods.

Examples include canned vegetables, fruits, legumes, salted nuts, cured meats, cheeses, and freshly baked breads. Processed foods may contain additives for preservation or to prevent microbial contamination, such as antioxidants in syruped fruits. Alcoholic beverages like beer, cider, and wine, produced from Group 1 foods, also fall under this category.3

Category 4: Ultra-processed food and drink products

Ultra-processed foods and drinks belong to the fourth NOVA category, characterized by industrial formulations with five or more ingredients. These products often include unusual additives not commonly found in culinary preparations alongside sugars, oils, fats, salt, and preservatives.

Ultra-processed foods typically contain little to no Group 1 components, aiming to mimic or mask the sensory qualities of these foods. Examples include non-sugar sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, casein, and whey.

The primary objective of ultra-processing is to create ready-to-eat or drink items, employing industrial techniques like extrusion and molding. These products often feature attractive packaging, aggressive marketing aimed at children, and high palatability.

Examples include mass-produced breads, ice cream, packaged snacks, and artificially sweetened yogurt. Distilled alcoholic beverages from Group 1 foods, such as vodka and whiskey, are also included in this category. Corn undergoes various stages of processing across the NOVA categories: starting from fresh corn kernels (Category 1), which are unprocessed or minimally processed. It can then be processed into corn oil or cornstarch (Category 2) as culinary ingredients. Further processing turns corn into products like canned corn or corn tortillas (Category 3). Finally, highly processed items like the corn chips containing additives and industrial modifications, fall into Category 4—ultra-processed foods. Image Credit: FotoDuets/Shutterstock.com

Why ultra-processed foods matter: Health risks and concerns

Ultra-processed foods, as defined by the NOVA classification system, include a wide array of ready-to-eat products such as packaged snacks, carbonated drinks, instant noodles, and ready-made meals.

These products are primarily composed of chemically modified substances extracted from foods, along with additives that enhance taste, texture, appearance, and shelf life, often containing little to no whole foods.4

Characteristics of ultra-processed foods include altered food matrices, potential contaminants from packaging, and nutrient-poor profiles featuring high levels of energy, salt, sugar, and saturated fat while lacking dietary fiber, micronutrients, and vitamins.

Although research on the mechanisms is still developing, evidence suggests that these properties may contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases through physiological mechanisms like changes to the gut microbiome and increased inflammation.

This has garnered significant interest from researchers, public health experts, and the public due to the potential role of ultra-processed foods as modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality. 4

How the NOVA classification can guide healthier food choices

The NOVA categorization can be used to inform daily dietary decisions based on Brazilian dietary requirements. They advise making the majority of our diet consisting of unprocessed or little processed foods (category 1 foods). These foods, which are mostly derived from plants and are best produced using agro-ecological techniques, serve as the cornerstone of a diet rich in nutrients. They recommend using small amounts of processed culinary goods for cooking, seasoning, and making culinary preparations.

Since processed foods are unbalanced in terms of nutrients, it is advised to use them sparingly and incorporate them into meals that feature natural or minimally processed foods. Avoid category 4 goods, which are ultra-processed.

One of their cardinal principles is never to choose highly processed goods over naturally occurring or lightly processed foods and freshly prepared meals. For instance, they advise against consuming soft drinks, dairy products, and biscuits in favor of water, milk, and fruits.5

The role of the NOVA system in public health and nutrition research

NOVA is being used more and more by nutritional epidemiologists to investigate connections between highly processed food intake and diet quality or health effects. In fact, 95% of the investigations on this subject that were published between 2015 and 2019 and that were incorporated in a recent systematic review employed NOVA. Moreover, policymakers use NOVA assignments to inform public health decisions. For instance, NOVA has been used to develop dietary advice in various Latin American nations, and the French government is utilizing NOVA to help achieve its 20% reduction goal in the consumption of ultra-processed foods. 6-9

It has been used in Canada to evaluate long-term trends in dietary patterns at the national level, as well as the effect of ultra-processed foods on dietary profile variables. It has been used in the UK to evaluate the possibility of reducing cardiovascular disease by reducing consumption of ultra-processed products, as well as to explore the relationship between household food purchase patterns and the relative pricing of ultra-processed and all other food items.

It has been applied in Chile to evaluate the effect of ultra-processed product intake on diets’ nutritional value. It has been applied in Sweden to associate time trends in the consumption of ultra-processed items and adult obesity and in New Zealand to characterize the nutritional composition of retail meals. 10-16

Conclusion

The NOVA classification system serves as a vital tool for understanding the impact of food processing on diet quality and public health. By categorizing foods based on their level of processing, NOVA highlights the distinctions between unprocessed, minimally processed, and ultra-processed foods, guiding consumers toward healthier dietary choices.

As the prevalence of ultra-processed foods increases, awareness of their potential health risks becomes essential. Policymakers and public health experts can leverage the NOVA framework to shape dietary guidelines and interventions aimed at improving nutritional outcomes and reducing the burden of diet-related diseases. Ultimately, adopting the principles of the NOVA system can lead to more informed food choices and healthier populations.

References

1. Marino, M., Puppo, F., Del Bo’, C., Vinelli, V., Riso, P., Porrini, M., & Martini, D. (2021). A Systematic Review of Worldwide Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods: Findings and Criticisms. Nutrients, 13(8), 2778. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082778
2. Braesco, V., Souchon, I., Sauvant, P., Haurogné, T., Maillot, M., Féart, C., & Darmon, N. (2022). Ultra-processed foods: how functional is the NOVA system?. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76(9), 1245–1253. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-022-01099-1
3. Monteiro, C. A., Cannon, G., Levy, R., Moubarac, J. C., Jaime, P., Martins, A. P., … & Parra, D. (2016). NOVA. The star shines bright. World Nutrition, 7(1-3), 28-38. https://www.worldnutritionjournal.org/index.php/wn/article/view/5
4. Lane, M. M., Gamage, E., Du, S., Ashtree, D. N., McGuinness, A. J., Gauci, S., Baker, P., Lawrence, M., Rebholz, C. M., Srour, B., Touvier, M., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Segasby, T., & Marx, W. (2024). Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 384, e077310. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
5. Brazilian Ministry of Health. (2014). Dietary guidelines for the Brazilian population. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde. Available in Portuguese, Spanish, and English translations. https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/dietary_guidelines_brazilian_population.pdf
6. Chen, X., Zhang, Z., Yang, H., Qiu, P., Wang, H., Wang, F., et al. (2020). Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health outcomes: A systematic review of epidemiological studies. Nutrition Journal, 19, 86. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-020-00604-1
7. Oliveira, M., & Amparo-Santos, L. (2018). Food-based dietary guidelines: A comparative analysis between the dietary guidelines for the Brazilian population 2006 and 2014. Public Health Nutrition, 21, 210–217. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980017000428
8. Pan American Health Organization, & World Health Organization. (2019). Ultra-processed food and drink products in Latin America: Sales, sources, nutrient profiles, and policy implications. https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/51094
9. Haut Conseil de la santé publique. (2018). Avis relatif aux objectifs de santé publique quantifiés pour la politique nutritionnelle de santé publique (PNNS) 2018-2022. https://www.hcsp.fr/explore.cgi/avisrapportsdomaine?clefr=648
10. Moubarac, J. C., Claro, R. M., Baraldi, L. G., Levy, R. B., Martins, A. P., Cannon, G., et al. (2013). International differences in cost and consumption of ready-to-consume food and drink products: United Kingdom and Brazil, 2008-2009. Global Public Health, 8(7), 845–856. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17441692.2013.796401
11. Moubarac, J. C., Batal, M., Martins, A. P., Claro, R., Levy, R. B., Cannon, G., et al. (2014). Processed and ultra-processed food products: Consumption trends in Canada from 1938 to 2011. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 75(1), 15–21. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24606955/
12. Moubarac, J. C., Martins, A. P., Claro, R. M., Levy, R. B., Cannon, G., & Monteiro, C. A. (2013). Consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: Evidence from Canada. Public Health Nutrition, 16(12), 2240–2248. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23171687/
13. Moreira, P. V., Baraldi, L. G., Moubarac, J. C., Monteiro, C. A., Newton, A., Capewell, S., et al. (2015). Comparing different policy scenarios to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the UK: Impact on cardiovascular disease mortality using a modelling approach. PLoS One, 10(2), e0118353. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4334511/
14. Crovetto, M. M., Uauy, R., Martins, A. P., Moubarac, J. C., & Monteiro, C. (2014). Household availability of ready-to-consume food and drink products in Chile: Impact on nutritional quality of the diet. Revista Medica de Chile, 142(7), 850–858. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25378004/
15. Luiten, C. M., Steenhuis, I. H., Eyles, H., Ni Mhurchu, C., & Waterlander, W. E. (2015). Ultra-processed foods have the worst nutrient profile, yet they are the most available packaged products in a sample of New Zealand supermarkets. Public Health Nutrition, 29, 1–9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26222226/
16. Juul, F., & Hemmingsson, E. (2015). Trends in consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity in Sweden between 1960 and 2010. Public Health Nutrition, 25, 1–12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25804833/