The Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is moving forward with formal guidance on what constitutes ultra-processed food—a centerpiece of the Make America Healthy Again agenda aimed at reshaping federal nutrition policy.
The effort reflects the administration’s broader push to scrutinize food manufacturing practices and ingredient use. Defining ultra-processed foods scientifically has proved contentious, however, as different frameworks—including those from the FDA, USDA, and international health bodies—use varying criteria, making a unified federal standard complex.
The designation carries stakes for school meals, SNAP nutrition standards, dietary guidelines, and food-labeling requirements. The administration has also directed federal agencies to advance regenerative agriculture, signaling a coordinated approach to food systems reform.
Kennedy and HHS officials have not yet released specifics on the proposed definition or timeline for rollout. The definition is expected to influence how federal agencies evaluate foods and set standards across nutrition programs.