Name: Non-Ultraprocessed Foods (Non-UPF) Verification for Food Manufacturers and Brands
Uploaded: 2026-05-12T15:16:15.326Z
Duration: 44 min 24 s
Description: Non-Ultraprocessed Foods (Non-UPF) Verification for Food Manufacturers and Brands

Transcript for "Non-Ultraprocessed Foods (Non-UPF) Verification for Food Manufacturers and Brands": Welcome, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. We're excited to have you here for today's NSF webinar. Today's session is part of NSF's ongoing commitment to improving human and planet health, and we're looking forward to sharing practical insights to help you navigate the evolving regulatory landscape. Before we begin, a few quick housekeeping notes. This session is being recorded and will be available in the future so you can revisit the content at your convenience. To ensure the best audio and video quality for everyone, participants' microphones and cameras are turned off. We encourage your questions throughout the presentation. Please use the q and a feature to submit them at any time. We'll address as many questions as possible during the q and a portion at the end of the session. For those new to NSF, we are an independent, globally recognized organization that has been advancing public health and safety since 1944. NSF develops public health standards and provides certification, auditing, testing, and separately, consulting and training services across the food, water, consumer goods, and life sciences sectors. Our work helps company meet regulatory requirements, manage risk, and strengthen safety and quality across their operations, supporting both business growth and consumer trust. Thank you everyone for coming to today's webinar. We'll begin with a quick video from one of NSF's earliest non UPF clients, Spindrift. Hey, guys. This is Bill from Spindrift. Spindrift is, sparkling water and real squeezed fruit, and we're the first beverage brand that's non ultra processed verified. And our whole portfolio is is made that way. We chose to make our product using non ultra processed ingredients, because we wanted our ingredients to be the truest to what fruit is when it comes right off of the tree. So delicious, little bit pulpy, but really as close to biting into, an apple as as you can. And we chose that process over others because we wanted people to feel like they were coming to the Spindrift House for dinner. We select incredible ingredients. We treat them with a lot of respect through the process. And in the end, what you end up with is this delicious healthy beverage, that is Spindrift. So why did we choose non UPF verified? I think first, we really were excited about having a definition that we could use to apply to this hard work we are doing on the brand. We were excited about how we were making our product, but we didn't necessarily know that our consumers understood that hard work. I think the second is credibility. I think they bring a lot of credibility, especially having done all the hard work on non GMO. And then third was really the consumer so that they knew when they went to the store shelf that they could find brands that they could trust. And why now? Why is non UPF important now? I think two things. One is people are starting to apply their values to food. Finally, to beverages. 90% of beverages are made using highly processed ingredients. And we felt like this was a really important time to start to distinguish products like Spindrift from the bigger beverage category and really separate ourselves from from the pack. So our hope and really our ambition is that non UPF verified becomes a standard by which great brands are measured. Alright. Our next step will be to open and share a poll so that you guys can complete some information about what may be worrying you when it comes to non UPF verification. So we will share that poll to the screen and allow a few seconds for you guys to complete that poll, and then we'll move to our next step. Alright. It looks like the majority of you have when it comes to what you're being concerned about is unclear or evolving definitions of ultra processed. So hopefully, we'll be able to help you with some of that as we move to the next part of our content. I'm now going to queue up the our next piece, which is our presenter, Haley, to give the content, and then we'll move to the next step. Welcome, everyone. I'm excited to talk to you today about non ultra processed food or non UPF verification with NSF. My name is Haley Sopczyk and I am a Senior Technical Reviewer for food claims at NSF. We offer a variety of on pack certification claims in the food space and today I will be focusing on how the non UPF verification program can be beneficial for you and your products, in addition to covering the technical requirements for products to achieve verification under this new standard. Our agenda for today is to discuss what UPFs are and why they matter, what the new non UPF verified standard is, the requirements for products to achieve verification, the documentation required to demonstrate compliance, and certification with NSF. So what are UPFs? While there is no current federal definition for Ultra Processed Foods or UPFs, these foods include high degrees of industrial processing methods and often include engineered additives to create hyper palatable textures and flavors. Research indicates that approximately 50% of The US diet is composed of ultra processed foods and up to 70% for children. UPFs are linked to many adverse health conditions including obesity and type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety, and an increased risk of some cancers. Why do ultra processed foods matter? Well, consumer awareness is growing rapidly. A June 2025 survey of US shoppers conducted by the Food Integrity Collective and Linkage Research indicate that seven out of ten US shoppers say they are trying to avoid ultra processed foods and how processed a food item is has considerable impact on their purchasing decision. When it comes to information about their food, US shoppers have low trust in food companies compared to independent certifiers. The majority of US shoppers say they would be more likely to purchase a product with a non UPF certification. And interest in a non UPF mark is at parity with the non GMO project and USDA certified organic marks, and those certification marks have been in the marketplace for some time. So this is where the new non UPF verified standard comes in. This new certification program is available for finished products to make a front of pack claim with the logo shown here on this slide. The non UPF verified standard is written and owned by the Non GMO project as part of the Food Integrity Collective. NSF acts as a technical administrator to evaluate product compliance based on the standard. There has been significant attention given to UPFs in the media recently. The goal of this standard is to offer a clear, evidence based framework for identifying products that avoid the core hallmarks of ultra processing, including the use of both engineered additives and industrial manufacturing processes. The essential dimensions of the standard include first, ingredient integrity and formulation. There are prohibitions or restrictions on ingredients, especially those ingredients used to create hyper palatable textures and flavors. And secondly, processing limits. There are specific processing method categories defined in the standard. Products must be composed primarily of minimally or moderately processed ingredients or ingredients produced using what is categorized as permissible methods under the standard. Why is certification for your food products important? Certification defines your label claim, giving consistent meaning to the claim and ensuring that all products meet that definition. A self made label claim can be unclear or at worst misleading. What one consumer or manufacturer considers non ultra processed to mean, for example, might differ from what another considers it to mean. On the other hand, a product that is certified to the non UPF verified standard by NSF has a clear, written, consistent definition that all products are verified to meet. Certification gives the label claim meaning. There is significant value to a certified label claim. Achieving the non UPF certified certification will help differentiate your products from competitors, increase consumer trust in your brand, and provide credibility to your products being formulated with intent to align with consumer demands for non ultra processed foods. Trust is key with the consumer. Certification provides a third party verification that what the label says is actually true because someone is verifying it. Next, we'll go over the requirements for products to achieve verification under this new standard, including what products are eligible, the processing and formula requirements for your finished products, prohibited ingredients, processing classifications applicable for both finished product and ingredient manufacturing, added sugar limits for finished products, and we'll also take a brief look at the natural flavor requirements, which are currently optional under version 1.1 of the standard. So first, what products are eligible under this new certification program? Compared to the non GMO project verified standard, products eligible to seek verification under the non UPF verified standard are much more limited. Products must be sold as foods for human consumption to be eligible. Retail products must be sold in The US, Canada or Mexico at a minimum to be verified. Additional limitations on foods for human consumption which are not eligible include produce, alcoholic beverages, goods for which no ingredients are evaluated for compliance with the standard, such as plain sparkling water and goods which make a voluntary or mandatory disclosure under the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard or NBFDS. While there is an exclusion for products making a BE disclosure, products are not required to be verified under the non GMO project standard to seek verification under the non UPF standard. Additionally, vitamins and dietary supplements are not eligible under the non UPF standard. So, if a product is positioned as a dietary supplement with a supplement facts panel instead of a nutrition facts panel on the label, it is not eligible. Other products that do not qualify as food or are not intended for human consumption, such as body care and cosmetic products, and feed or supplements for farm animals or pets, do not qualify. And lastly, products which are or which contain controlled substances under US or Canadian law are not eligible. So what are the requirements for products sold as human food that are eligible? Well, the non UPF verified standard includes several different requirements for products seeking verification. Products must comply with all applicable requirements to achieve verification. First, products must not contain any prohibited ingredients. The standard includes a normative list of prohibited ingredients, which we will discuss, as well as prohibitions on non nutritive sweeteners and most gums, thickeners, and texturizers. Next, to understand the product requirements, it is important to understand the standard categorizes specific processing methods as permissible, conditional, or prohibited, which we will discuss shortly. From a high level perspective, the processing methods for the manufacturing of finished products must be permissible. Ingredients produced using conditional processing methods, such as refined sugars and oils, are limited to no more than 30% of the product formula based on an adjusted weight percentage, which is the weight percentage excluding added water and salt in the formula. Prohibited processing methods are not allowed at any level for finished product or ingredient manufacturing. Lastly, if the finished product contains sweeteners that are produced from conditional processing methods, such as refined sugar, the finished product must comply with the limit on added sugar based on the product category. The first aspect we will cover for product compliance is prohibited ingredients. The standard includes a normative and extensive list of just under 300 prohibited ingredients listed in Annex B. The list is a collection of prohibited ingredients from various sources including but not limited to EU regulations, PCC community markets, Whole Foods markets, and applicable US state legislation. The product must not contain any prohibited ingredients as listed on the product's ingredient panel. Regardless of whether a single quality standard or regulation permits a specific ingredient, if it is listed in annex b, it is not permitted in products to achieve non UPF verification. In addition to the normative list provided in Annex B, the standard also prohibits all non nutritive and bio transformed sweeteners as ingredients. Several non nutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose, are already listed in Annex B. Additional examples of non nutritive sweeteners not listed in Annex B, which are also prohibited, include monk fruit extract and sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, xylitol, and erythritol. Additionally, the use of gums, thickeners, and texturizers is also prohibited or restricted. Any gum, thickener, or texturizer produced through a conditional processing method, which we will discuss shortly, is prohibited. Xanthan gum and gel and gum are examples of gums that are explicitly prohibited as these are derived from industrial fermentation, which is a conditional processing method. The use of gums, thickeners, or texturizers obtained through mechanical or aqueous extraction from plant or seaweed sources is restricted to only be used when functionally necessary and when no feasible, minimally processed alternative exists. You can refer to sections 6.3.3 and 6.3.4 in the standard for these prohibitions or restrictions. This slide provides examples of ingredients which are prohibited per Annex B. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but meant to illustrate the types of ingredients which are prohibited. As you can see, in addition to any artificial or FD and C certified colors, caramel color is also a prohibited ingredient. Additionally, Reb d, Reb M, and steviol glycosides, which function as non nutritive sweeteners, are all prohibited. Carrageenan is prohibited. Cottonseed oil, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, and solvent extracted oils are all prohibited. The next aspect we will cover is processing classifications. The standard classifies processing methods as permissible, conditional, or prohibited. Permissible processing methods may be used without restrictions for finished products or ingredients. Conditional processing methods are not permitted for manufacturing the finished product. These methods are only applicable for ingredients used within a product formulation. Ingredients produced using conditional methods are limited to no more than 30% of the product formula using the adjusted weight percentage excluding added water and salt. Prohibited processing methods are not permitted at any stage for the finished product or ingredients going into the finished product. Here are some examples of permissible processing methods as listed in Annex A of the standard. This is not an exhaustive list. As you can see, many traditional processing methods such as baking, canning, milling or grinding, or pasteurization are permitted. These processing methods are not restricted. Finished products must only be manufactured using these types of permissible processing methods, and the finished product formula must be composed of at least 70% ingredients which are produced using these methods. Here are some examples of conditional processing methods per Annex A. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. As you can see, many of these conditional methods are associated with refined sugar and refined vegetable oil ingredients. For example, lime and carbon dioxide or phosphoric acid clarification are common processes used for sugar refining. And, RBD vegetable oils would be categorized as conditionally processed due to the high temperature refining, bleaching, and deodorizing processes used. Additional examples of ingredients which would be conditionally processed include textured vegetable proteins that are manufactured using high heat extrusion, which is defined as extrusion at or exceeding 200 degrees Fahrenheit, or yeast extract produced using industrial fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis. Ingredients, which are more highly processed using these types of methods, are permitted as ingredients in finished products which achieve non UPF verification as long as the total sum of all conditionally processed ingredients does not exceed 30% of the product formula. The overall finished product is not permitted to be manufactured using a conditional processing method. Here is the list of prohibited processing methods per Annex A of the standard. These methods are not permitted at any stage for the finished product or ingredients. Examples of ingredients which may be produced using these prohibited processing methods include solvent extracted vegetable oils or vegetable proteins with hexane being a common extraction solvent for those ingredient types, or animal free dairy or egg proteins produced using precision fermentation, which is also referred to as synthetic biology or synbio. If any ingredient is produced using a prohibited processing method, it becomes a prohibited ingredient and the finished product cannot contain such an ingredient in order to achieve non UPF verification. So far, we have covered prohibited ingredients and processing methods for finished products. In addition to these requirements, the standard also includes a limit on added sugars for products to achieve non UPF verification. These added sugar limits are applicable for product formulas which contain any sweeteners as ingredients which are produced using conditional processing methods, such as refined sugars. If the finished product formula only contains added sugars from ingredients produced using permissible processing methods, such as honey or maple syrup, the added sugar limits are not applicable to the product. The added sugar limits are specific to each type of product category. The table shown here includes just a few examples of the added sugar limits. For example, breakfast foods have a limit of 15% added sugar. Breads and bakery products and beverages are limited to 5%. And snack foods are limited to 2% added sugar by weight. The full table of product categories can be found under table six one in the standard. Next, we will discuss how you can calculate the added sugar percentage in your product to confirm if it complies with the limit. Here is an example of how to go about using the nutrition facts panel on a product label to perform the calculation. Added sugars are defined in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration or FDA regulations for nutrition labeling. Therefore, the added sugar percentage can be calculated using the grams of added sugar per serving divided by the total serving size based on the nutrition facts panel. If the added sugar limit for the category is 5% or less and the rounded values based on the label are close to the limit, the unrounded 100 gs data can be used to support compliance with the limit. This is an example of the Nutrition Facts panel for a granola product. The product contains brown rice syrup and cane sugar listed in the ingredients, which are produced by conditional processing. In other words, these are refined sugars in the product, so the added sugar limit is applicable for this product formulation. In this example, the label lists six grams of added sugar per serving, and the serving size is defined as 55 grams, which comes to 10.9% added sugar by weight in the product. This product would comply with the breakfast foods category added sugar limit of 15%. I would now like to go over the requirements for natural flavors used in product formulas. The requirements listed under section 6.3.5 are currently optional under version 1.1 of the standard. However, information must still be provided related to the natural flavor used in products seeking verification, even if the use of the natural flavors does not currently comply with these optional requirements. And natural flavors used in products must still be categorized into the relevant processing methods. Meaning, if the natural flavors are produced using conditional processing methods, they would contribute to the 30% limit in the product formula. And natural flavors produced using any prohibited processing methods, such as precision fermentation, are prohibited from use. A key aspect of the optional requirements is that natural flavors should only be used when a permissibly processed corresponding ingredient derived from the same food is also present in the product. For example, if natural strawberry flavor is used in a product, the product must also contain a minimally or moderately processed strawberry ingredient, such as a strawberry puree or freeze dried strawberries. The optional requirements also include a limitation on the weight percentage of the natural flavor and a prohibition on natural flavors for purposes other than flavor contribution, such as natural flavors used for masking, enhancement, or sensory modification. Extracts, such as vanilla extract, are exempt from these natural flavor requirements when certain conditions are met, such as the extract being derived from the named source material and listed on the product label by the common or usual name including the source material. This means if vanilla extract is used as and listed on the label as vanilla extract, no additional vanilla ingredient would be required in the product formula. So how do you demonstrate your product seeking verification do comply with all requirements under the non UPF standard? As a manufacturer or brand seeking verification, there will be a significant amount of documentation requested. The certification process will involve a desk review only. No on-site audits are required. So, you should be prepared to submit the following documentation to demonstrate product compliance. First, a detailed flowchart and processing narrative for the finished product outlining all manufacturing steps. A product label that includes the product name, brand name, nutrition facts panel, and ingredient statement. The ingredient statement will be critical to ensure no prohibited ingredients are listed and also inform which ingredients are within scope for processing classification determinations. The nutrition facts panel will also be used to support compliance with the added sugar limit if it pertains to the product. You must also provide a product formula listing the weight percentage of each ingredient excluding added water and salt. Also, be prepared to submit detailed specification sheets with composition, flowcharts, and or processing narratives from each ingredient supplier outlining all processing steps for the ingredient manufacturing. If you have more complex product formulas or are using more complex or multi component ingredients, NSF will also provide you with product and ingredient questionnaires that have been specifically developed to obtain the required information for non UPF. Now let's talk about working with NSF for the certification process. A key benefit of working with NSF is our expertise. NSF has over eighty years of experience delivering assurance across the food industry internationally. We currently provide non GMO project verification for over 13,000 products, so we are well positioned to help you navigate the requirements for the non GMO project owned, non UPF standard. Additionally, NSF connects you with a designated Project Manager for non UPF to manage the documentation submission. It will be an efficient process with your Project Manager serving as a key contact for any questions along the way. Also, as a technical administrator, NSF provides an independent evaluation of your products. NSF technical reviewers provide a clear findings report and, where needed, guided gap closure. We also maintain product records, review material changes, and provide support as the standard evolves. You can also bundle non UPF with additional certifications that NSF offers to build consumer trust in your products. Speaking of bundling, in addition to non UPF and non GMO project verification that NSF acts as a technical administrator for on behalf of the non GMO project, NSF offers several other food related certification services, including organic, gluten free, vegan and cruelty free, certified plant based, and several food safety certifications. We also offer dietary supplement certification raised without antibiotics, bottled water, and packaged ice certifications. Food safety certifications include FSSC, BRC, SQF, IFS, and Global GAP. Finally, NSF offers services in several other areas, such as food agriculture, food packaging, food retail and grocery, just to name a few. NSF can be a one stop shop for not just certification, but also for training, consulting, or any of your company's needs. Are you ready to take the next step and search for your products as non UPF with NSF? Reach out. We will provide you with a quote and identify any other opportunities that NSF can work with you on to meet your needs. Thank you for attending today's webinar. For more information, you can visit the NSF website or the non UPF website. We will now turn it over to q and a. Alright. Thank you, Hailey, for that great information. Before we move to the q and a section, we have a couple of other pieces of housekeeping that we'd like to start with. So we're going to share a second poll here, and we'll give you a few seconds to complete that information. Let us know which responses are. Alright. We will stop sharing that poll and then a couple of other housekeeping items quickly here. Here's a note about Cambium Analytica from NSF. We are excited to share that NSF, a global leader in public health and safety, has acquired Cambium Analytica. Cambium is widely recognized as an innovative analytical testing and development company serving the natural food, beverage, and dietary supplement industries. With this acquisition, NSF significantly expands its capabilities, bringing together deep scientific expertise and scalable best in class solutions to meet the rapidly growing demands driven by major industry trends. For our clients, this means greater access to integrated services that support innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality. This acquisition positions NSF and Cambium to better help companies grow demand for natural food, beverage, and supplement products confidently and responsibly in in an increasingly complex marketplace. Scan this QR code to learn more about Cambium analytics. Alright. We are, I experienced a quick tech glitch on the poll that we just ran. So I am going to share that one again in a moment, but first, we'll run this video about training opportunities with NSF. If you're ready to take the next step, NSF training offers a wide range of educational opportunities designed to support your professional growth. From foundational knowledge to advanced industry specific topics, our training programs help individuals and teams stay current, build confidence, and strengthen compliance across the organization. The use of NSF consultancy services or attending NSF training sessions does not provide an advantage nor is it linked in any way to the granting of certification. Whether you're looking to expand your expertise or equip your team with practical real world skills, NSF training is here to help you learn more and move forward. Scan this QR code to learn more. Alright. We will reopen and share that last poll and give you a few seconds to complete it. Okay. It looks like most folks are, interested in organic certification and non GMO or identity preservation certificates. So we'll stop sharing that poll, and I will now call our friend Haley onto the stage to tackle the q and a part. Haley, anytime you're ready. You're welcome. Hello? Alright. I noticed one of the questions, that comes up is will the slide deck be shared? The slide deck will not be shared to everyone who attended the webinar. However, if you would like your own copy of the deck, indicate that in the q and a section, drop a note in there, and then one of our team members will be able to connect with you directly and share it with you that way. First question, Haley, that came up was regarding the FDA. It's asks, has the FDA endorsed the scheme considering that UPFs have not yet been formally defined by the FDA, or is it based on the state regs? How would you like to expand on Yes. So the non UPF verified standard is an independent third? party owned standard by the Non GMO project as part of the food integrity collective. So the use of their non UPF verified logo is governed by a licensing agreement. If you're interested in participating, you would sign that license agreement with the Non GMO project to use their logo. Great. Thank you. Next question was, where do lab grown or cultivated products fall within these process classifications? Yeah. It will really depend on the specific process. However, if, the person is referring to, you you know, cultivated products that are using precision fermentation, so most commonly like genetically engineered yeast or microbes, to produce specific compound molecules, those types of processing methods are prohibited under the standard. If they're referring to, you know, more general types of microbial fermentation, it will just depend on the exact type of processing method that ingredient goes through. Thank you. Does this scope also cover the Canadian market, or is it limited to US? Any retail products sold in The US, Canada, or Mexico are eligible, so it does cover products sold in the Canadian market. Great. Thank you. There's a question here that asks, can doughnuts be considered for non UPF? So, again, there are a lot of factors at play. I will say that deep frying, if it is the only processing method for the finished product, is a conditional processing method. So if the donuts are only deep fried, those would not be eligible. If they are, like, a baked donut, baking is a permissible method, so they could, seek verification. Again, the donut would just have to meet all of those requirements. So, the finished product being permissively processed, at least 70% of the ingredients going into that doughnut being permissively processed, and then the added sugar limits as well if there are any refined sugars used in that doughnut. Great. Thank you. I think this is, the last question we've gotten in unless another one comes in while you're talking here. So, we'll wrap up with this one. How do ingredient manufacturers that are not within the sugar or oil category interpret the conditional and permissible methods list? Yeah. So if you are a brand and you're seeking verification, the goal will really be to obtain information from your ingredient suppliers on the processing methods that are used. So at no point do you have to define, the ingredient itself, whether that's non UPF or whether that's more highly processed. But based on that flowchart you would obtain, you will then work with your technical administrator, to evaluate the overall finished product in the context of that ingredient. And so refined oils and sugars are kind of highlighted as some key examples of ingredients that are likely to be conditionally processed, but there are many other types of conditional processing methods out there, including industrial fermentation and spray drying. So, again, it will depend on what does that flowchart look like for that ingredient. And then depending on all the processing methods going into that ingredient, it will be properly categorized for use in your finished Great. Thank you. I don't have oh, wait. Here. we go. I've got one more question that's come in is what kind of a document does an ingredient supplier need to provide? Yeah. So at a minimum, I think a specification sheet and a flowchart, but if it is a more complex ingredient, NSF has developed a questionnaire that can be completed so that the supplier can fill out all of the sub ingredients, the processing methods for those sub ingredients in order to properly, evaluate, whether it's the ingredient that's conditionally processed or sub ingredients within it that may fall to a conditional processing method. Thank you. That's helpful. Alright. I don't see any further questions. So, as a couple of last notes, this webinar will be available on demand, within about, an hour or so after this this live event ends. So if in the future you want to share the webinar with other team members or other organizations, you can use the same link that you used to register for this one, and that will help them register for the on demand version. If you've requested the deck in the quite q and a, and I see we have a quite a few people who did that, that's terrific. Someone from NSF will be reaching out to you directly within the next week or so, and get you get that deck in your hands and be able to answer any other questions you might have. Other than that, thank you, everyone for attending. We love having our folks come in and learn stuff about NSF and all of our programs, and thank you, Haley, for all of the excellent information that you provided. And we're grateful for your service and for everybody who's dedicated to food quality and certification. And we wish you, a great afternoon, and thank you for your time today.