Ultra-Processed Foods

In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. June Jo Lee explains how food ethnography works and how it can help food companies anticipate the kinds of culture shifts that will shape the marketplace in the years ahead. We chat with ‘Yemisi Awosan, founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods, a Harlem, New York-based food company focused on producing ready-to-eat African food derived from classic West African dishes, to find out more about this flavorful and trending cuisine. Food scientist Matt Teegarden offers a thoughtful take on the high-profile food classification system Nova and its characterization of ultra-processed foods.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by CoDeveloper, from IFT. CoDeveloper is the first AI-powered co-scientist built BY food scientists FOR food scientists, and leverages IFT’s 85+ years of scientific excellence – accelerating your R&D processes and helping solve your toughest challenges. Learn more and book your free demo at CoDeveloper.IFT.org.

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Purdue University’s Richard Mattes chats with consulting nutrition scientist Lisa Sanders about the concept of hyper-palatability—foods designed with specific combinations of fat, sugar, and salt that may override natural satiety signals—and discuss what makes a food hyperpalatable, how researchers identify and test for it, and whether evidence exists linking hyperpalatable foods to increased consumption and poor health outcomes. Packaging expert and contributing editor Claire Koelsch Sand about why reuse is worth reconsidering as the industry struggles to keep pace with the demand for more sustainable packaging.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT Membership. It’s where you belong. As a member, you’ll enjoy a global community united by purpose and driven by science ready to make a lasting impact on the global food system. Visit ift.org/join.

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Tag Archives: Ultra-Processed Foods

EP 73: Decoding Consumers’ Food Behaviors, African Food Trend Heats Up, A Food Scientist Processes Nova and UPFs | BEST OF 2025

EP 69: UPFs and the Queston of Hyper-Palatability, Revisiting Reusable Packaging