Florida Atlantic University Sep 9 2025 Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially altered products – like soda, snacks and processed meats – packed with additives and stripped of nutrients. Hundreds of new ingredients, previously unknown to the human body, now make up nearly 60% of the average adult's diet and almost 70% of children's diets in the United States. These products reduce nutritional value, extend shelf life, and tend to increase how much people consume. In the U.S., UPFs account