HHS, FDA, USDA unite to define ultra-processed foods

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HHS, FDA, USDA unite to define ultra-processed foods

4 Aug 2025

Annie Hollon

Annie Hollon is a journalist, copywriter and social media strategist from the Dallas, Texas area. She found a love for magazine writing during her time at the University of Alabama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in public relations and English. Beyond writing, you can find her expanding her library, attempting to teach herself the guitar and trying new hobbies.

SILVER SPRING, MD — In a joint Request for Information (RFI), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), FDA and USDA are seeking additional data and insights to create a uniform, federally recognized definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

“President Trump has made it a priority to improve health outcomes for American families and communities,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “And this RFI is yet another step in seeking commonsense ways to foster improved and more informed consumer choice.”

To date, there is no authoritative definition for UPFs. The RFI requests additional information on the factors and criteria that should be included in this definition. Solidifying what delineates UPFs will grant consistency in research and policy.

“I am delighted to lead this critical effort at the FDA,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH. “The threats posed to our health by foods often considered ultra-processed are clear and convincing, making it imperative that we work in lockstep with our federal partners to advance, for the first time ever, a uniform definition of UPFs.”

With this collaboration, the HHS and government agencies will also deliver on a key initiative of the Trump administration’s “Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment” released earlier this year.

The report, backed by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, made claims in regard to UPFs as a potential driver of chronic diseases.

“A unified, widely understood definition for ultra-processed foods is long overdue, and I look forward to continued partnership with [HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] to Make America Healthy Again,” Rollins continued. “As this process unfolds, I will make certain the great men and women of the agriculture value chain are part of the conversation.”