The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture have launched a joint request for Information (RFI) to establish a federally recognized, uniform definition for ultra-processed foods.

"Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic," says HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply. Defining ultra-processed foods with a clear, uniform standard will empower us even more to Make America Healthy Again."

Currently, there is no single authoritative definition for ultra-processed foods for the U.S. food supply. The FDA and USDA say a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods will allow for consistency in research and policy.

The agencies estimate approximately 70% of packaged products in the U.S. food supply are foods often considered ultra-processed, and that children get over 60% of their calories from such foods. They say scientific studies have found links between the consumption of foods often considered ultra-processed with health outcomes including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and neurological disorders. 

The RFI became available on the federal register on July 24 and seeks information on what factors and criteria should be included in a definition of ultra-processed foods. The public comment period is set to end Sept. 23.