WHO Proposes Food Profiling Model to Inform Regulation of Ultra-Processed Foods
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a draft food profiling model that would help governments identify industrially produced, prepackaged foods for which consumption should be limited or moderated, potentially informing regulatory measures such as marketing restrictions, front-of-package labeling, and taxation. A public consultation on the model is open through November 27, here.
The draft document, Integrated Food Profiling Model for Regulatory Measures: Implementing the WHO Best Buys and Recommended Food Policies to Prevent Diet-Related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), proposed combining nutrient criteria with the presence of certain ingredients used to enhance foods' sensory characteristics.
Specifically, the model would identify foods for consumption in moderation based on two criteria:
- Nutrients of public health concern: Products exceeding specified thresholds for saturated fats, trans fats, sugars, or sodium
- Ingredients used for sensory purposes: Products containing specified flavors, colors, or sweeteners, which WHO said are used primarily to increase foods' appeal and potentially encourage consumption.
Under the proposed model, a product meeting one or more criteria in either category would be classified as an "industrially produced, prepackaged food to be consumed in moderation" (IFM).
WHO emphasized that the inclusion of flavors, colors, and sweeteners does not imply that these ingredients are inherently unsafe. Rather, their inclusion reflects their sensory functions and potential influence on consumption, separate from established food additive safety assessments.
Relationship to Ultra-Processed Food Classification
Although the proposed model incorporates elements of existing ultra-processed food (UPF) classification approaches, WHO clarified that it is not intended to classify foods according to processing levels or determine whether individual products are "healthy" or "unhealthy."
Instead, the model is intended to provide governments with consistent criteria for identifying products that may warrant regulatory measures to reduce dietary risks associated with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
To evaluate the approach, WHO analyzed data for approximately 1.5 million food and beverage products from 84 countries and territories. Of these, approximately 1.1 million products had validated nutrition declarations and ingredient lists.
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The analysis found that the proposed nutrient thresholds, combined with criteria for flavors, colors, and sweeteners, identified 97.27 percent of nutrient-validated foods classified as ultra-processed under the widely used Nova classification system.
WHO noted that the proposed model could complement existing nutrient profiling approaches while providing a more consistent foundation for regulatory policies across different food categories.
Potential Regulatory Applications
According to WHO, the integrated model could support several food environment policies, including restrictions on food marketing to children, front-of-package warning labels, fiscal measures, and public food procurement standards.
The organization emphasized that the model would not itself constitute a regulatory instrument. Rather, countries could adapt the model to their national legal frameworks, food systems, and public health objectives.
WHO also recommended that countries review existing nutrition labeling requirements to ensure that nutrient declarations and ingredient lists provide sufficient information to apply the proposed criteria.
The draft represents an effort to integrate established nutrient profiling guidance with emerging evidence on industrial food formulation and consumption patterns, providing governments with a standardized approach to identifying foods whose consumption should be moderated to reduce diet-related NCD risks.
