Not all processed food is created equal. Learn to read labels and spot the ingredients that push a product from minimally processed into ultra-processed territory.
Scan a Label NowAlmost everything we eat undergoes some form of processing. Washing lettuce, pasteurizing milk, freezing berries — these are all forms of food processing, and they are generally harmless. The trouble starts when food manufacturers go far beyond basic preservation and begin adding industrial ingredients that you would never find in a home kitchen. That is where the line between processed and ultra-processed gets drawn.
The NOVA classification system, developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo, divides food into four groups. Group 1 covers unprocessed and minimally processed foods. Group 2 includes processed culinary ingredients like butter, sugar, and olive oil. Group 3 is processed food — think canned vegetables with added salt, or freshly baked bread with a short ingredient list. Group 4, ultra-processed food (UPF), is the category raising alarm bells among nutritionists worldwide.
Ultra-processed products typically contain five or more ingredients, many of which are substances not used in home cooking: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, emulsifiers like polysorbate 80, flavor enhancers, and colorants. If a label reads more like a chemistry experiment than a recipe, you are likely holding a Group 4 product. BerryPure makes this identification instant — just scan the barcode and see exactly which ingredients flag a product as ultra-processed.
Open BerryPure and point your camera at the barcode or the ingredients panel. The app pulls the full ingredient list and begins analyzing each entry against its database of known additives and industrial ingredients.
BerryPure assigns the product a NOVA group rating, clearly labeling it as minimally processed, processed, or ultra-processed. You will see which specific ingredients pushed the product into a higher category.
Each product receives a purity score from 0 to 100. The breakdown shows you how many ingredients are whole-food based versus industrially derived, so you can make a quick judgment at the shelf.
Tap on any flagged ingredient to see swap suggestions — similar products in the same category that score higher on the purity scale without sacrificing taste.
Flavored instant oatmeal packets
Plain rolled oats with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey
Instant oatmeal packets often contain maltodextrin, artificial flavors, and added sugars that qualify them as ultra-processed, while plain rolled oats are minimally processed Group 1 foods.
Store-bought pasta sauce with added sugar and soybean oil
Crushed canned tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, and basil
Many jarred sauces sneak in high-fructose corn syrup and cheap seed oils. Canned tomatoes with salt are a simple Group 3 processed food that keeps the flavor without the additives.
Deli-style turkey slices with carrageenan and sodium nitrite
Home-roasted turkey breast sliced thin
Packaged deli meats frequently contain emulsifiers, preservatives, and modified starches. Roasting your own turkey keeps the protein without the industrial additives.
Fruit-flavored yogurt with modified corn starch
Plain whole-milk yogurt topped with real berries
Flavored yogurts often contain thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and colorants. Plain yogurt with live cultures is a minimally processed choice that you can customize at home.
Everything you need to know about ultra-processed food and sugar detox.
Processed food has a small number of added ingredients like salt, sugar, or oil for preservation — think canned beans or cheese. Ultra-processed food contains industrial substances rarely used in home cooking, such as emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, hydrogenated fats, and artificial colorants. The ingredient list length and complexity is usually the clearest indicator.
No. Many processed foods are perfectly healthy and have been part of human diets for centuries. Fermented vegetables, canned fish in olive oil, and whole-grain bread with a short ingredient list are all processed foods that can be part of a balanced diet. The concern is specifically with ultra-processed products that contain industrial additives linked to overconsumption.
Look for ingredients you would not use at home: high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil, maltodextrin, soy protein isolate, artificial flavors, and emulsifiers like carboxymethylcellulose. If the list is longer than five or six items and includes several of these, it is likely ultra-processed. BerryPure automates this check instantly.
Plain frozen vegetables with no added sauces or seasonings are minimally processed (NOVA Group 1). Freezing is simply a preservation method that locks in nutrients. However, frozen vegetable products with added cream sauces, flavorings, or coatings can cross into ultra-processed territory.
Yes. When you scan a product, BerryPure assigns it a NOVA classification and highlights the specific ingredients that determined the rating. This makes it easy to understand why a product received its classification and what to look for next time.
Ultra-processed food is linked to obesity, diabetes, and brain fog. Whether you just want to scan labels or you're ready to cut it out completely, BerryPure has you covered.
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