Assessing the Environmental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods
According to research carried out by the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), in partnership with the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (Nupens) of the Faculty of Public Health (FSP) at USP, 98.8% of the ultra-processed foods analyzed found in Brazilian stores contain excess sodium, fats and free sugars. With this data, it can be said that their impact on the human body is not the best. But what little is said is the impact of its production on the environment.
“Although they are still at an early stage, studies on the environmental impact of ultra-processed foods, carried out mainly in high-income countries, demonstrate relationships between the production and consumption of these products and the loss of biodiversity”, says Fernanda Morocco, researcher at the Chair Josué de Castro from Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems of FSP and Nupens.
The researcher explains that this is related to the ingredients used, such as those of animal origin and palm oil, cocoa, coffee — which are often related to changes in land use. “These products are also associated with greenhouse gas emissions, soil degradation and impacts on water quality and scarcity,” she adds.
Plastic and transport
In 2022, Brazil generated 13.7 million tons of plastic, according to a survey by the Brazilian Association of Public Cleaning and Special Waste Companies (Abrelpe). This amount corresponds to almost 64 kilos of plastic per Brazilian.
This waste is also related to ultra-processed products, especially in the packaging of these products. “The fact that ultra-processed foods have a long shelf life as one of their main characteristics means that they largely depend on the use of packaging made from different types of materials that will later be discarded in the environment”, explains the researcher.
According to the report published by Talking Trash in 2020, among the biggest polluters identified in the document are transnational sugary drinks companies, including the leaders in soft drink sales. “Therefore, the excessive consumption of these products, encouraged by advertisements and their flavor and texture characteristics, implies a large volume of waste generated from the disposal of packaging used in production and distribution”, he highlights.
Transport is also not left out. Energy expenditure in the different phases of the production chain is high and complex. “This is mainly due to the fact that they are subjected to additional stages of industrial processing or ultra-processing and travel long distances — from their production to distribution and consumption networks”, comments Fernanda.