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The More Ultra-Processed Food People Ate, the Higher Their Risk of Disease and Death
Every extra 100 grams of ultra-processed food eaten daily was linked to higher risks of chronic disease and death, a large analysis found. Ready-to-eat meals and heat-and-serve snacks have become increasingly common in diets around the world over the past few decades.
As people eat more of these heavily processed products, researchers have been trying to work out whether there is a safe amount to consume and where the risks to long-term health might begin.
A large pooled analysis, published in the open access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, found that higher consumption was linked to greater risks of several chronic diseases and death from any cause. Across 51 studies involving 8,819,894 adults, the risks generally rose with the amount eaten.
This Amount of Deli Meat Associated With Higher Dementia Risk in Compelling New Review
Eating just two slices of deli meat a day was associated with a substantially higher risk of dementia, according to a new review of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and brain health.
The findings, published in the August 2026 issue of Annual Review of Nutrition, looked at dozens of human and animal studies, including one involving nearly 500,000 people in the U.K.
The study found that each additional 25 grams of processed meat eaten daily corresponded with a 44% higher risk of all-cause dementia and a 52% higher risk of Alzheimer’s. Twenty-five grams of processed meat equals roughly one to two slices of deli meat, depending on how thick the meat is sliced.
No GMO Label Doesn’t Mean No Genetic Engineering
Alliance for Natural Health reported:
A food package carries no bioengineered disclosure. Does that mean no genetic engineering went into the food? No. USDA’s bioengineered food disclosure standard leaves entire categories of genetically engineered foods and ingredients outside mandatory disclosure.
Easing restrictions on natural substances with credible histories of safe use makes sense. Yet natural products face persistent calls for tighter regulation, alongside efforts to suppress truthful information about their benefits.
Meanwhile, novel technologies that fundamentally alter our food are riding a wave of deregulation — even as their implications demand rigorous scrutiny and full transparency. These priorities are backwards.
Could Quitting Ultra-Processed Food Boost Your Mental Health?
A small study suggests that cutting ultra-processed foods could significantly improve depression symptoms, possibly through the gut-brain connection. Credit: Shutterstock
A small preliminary study from UC San Francisco adds to mounting evidence that eating fewer ultra-processed foods may help reduce symptoms of depression.
Published Sept. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry, the study was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Researchers believe it is the first study to compare depression symptoms in the same participants before and after they moved from their usual ultra-processed diet to healthier foods.
What to Know About California’s New Ultra-Processed Foods Label Law
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Tuesday that would allow food companies to put a non-ultra-processed food (UPF) label on their products.
The law creates the first seal in the U.S. that would appear on products as long as they meet standards for not being ultra-processed, according to California lawmaker Jesse Gabriel, who sponsored the bill.
Modeled after the “USDA Organic” label — which appears on products that meet federal standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — California’s process would be overseen by the California Department of Public Health. Food manufacturers would apply to accredited certification agents to use a “California Certified” seal on their packaging. Products would have to be recertified every three years.
Texas Stops Grocery Stores From Using Pesticide Mist
The Organic & Non-GMO Report reported:
A settlement between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Albertsons Safeway LLC is renewing discussion about transparency, consumer expectations, and post harvest handling practices for organic produce sold at retail. The agreement requires Albertsons owned grocery stores in Texas to stop using synthetic antimicrobial pesticides in misting systems on organic produce.
The settlement follows a state investigation into the use of ProduceMaxx, an EPA registered antimicrobial pesticide containing hypochlorous acid, in retail produce misting systems. The Attorney General’s office alleged that the product was being used on organic produce without sufficient consumer disclosure.
ProduceMaxx is used in some retail environments to reduce bacteria and extend shelf life on fresh produce. However, the issue raised by the investigation centered on whether consumers purchasing USDA certified organic products had adequate information about post harvest treatments and whether those practices aligned with consumer expectations associated with organic labeling.
Under the settlement, Albertsons owned stores in Texas will discontinue the use of ProduceMaxx and other synthetic antimicrobial pesticides in misting systems on organic produce. The company will also require rinsing procedures after any ProduceMaxx treatment on produce.
Forget Supersized: McDonald’s Is Exploring an $8.5 Billion Bet on an American Fast Food Wave Led by Proteinmaxxing, Portion Control, and GLP-1s
The health wave has made its impact on what could have been considered its mortal enemy: fast food. In a far cry from its old era of “supersized” menus, McDonald’s is exploring a new $8.5 billion, decade-long “McDonald’s Next” overhaul — and the fast food giant is exploring smaller and more flexible portions aimed at protein-first and GLP-1 consumers.
The company is considering grilled chicken sandwiches and wraps, crispy chicken and burger bowls, and egg bites as it adapts to changing eating habits.
