In France, a recent study conducted by researchers from Sorbonne Paris Nord University and France’s public health agency compared the Nutri-Score nutrition labelling scheme (both its original and updated versions) to the Nova classification system using data from 129,950 food products in the OpenFoodFacts database. The study aimed to analyze how these systems classify food products and explore their compatibility for assessing health aspects.
The research findings indicated a correlation between the two systems, suggesting that the initial Nutri-Score algorithm and the Nova classification categorized a significant portion of ‘ultra-processed’ foods as having medium to low nutritional values. However, with the updated Nutri-Score algorithm, the percentage of ‘ultra-processed’ products receiving medium to poor ratings increased, showing a stronger association between the two systems.
Nutri-Score, established in France in 2017, assigns scores from -15 to +40 based on the product’s nutritional content, with corresponding letter codes ranging from dark green (A) to dark orange (E). Conversely, the Nova classification system, developed in Brazil in 2019, classifies food processing levels into four categories: raw and minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, and ultra-processed foods, the latter being considered an ‘industrial creation’.
The recent updates to the Nutri-Score algorithm, effective in 2022 and 2023 for food and beverage products respectively, resulted in changes such as reclassification of nuts and seeds into a different component and enhanced differentiation between different food categories, including sweetened vs. unsweetened dairy products. Moreover, the beverage algorithm update specifically addresses beverages with non-nutritive sweeteners, reserving the highest score for water and categorizing all other beverages between B and E, regardless of calorie content.
The alignment between Nutri-Score and Nova was further highlighted in the study, showcasing the impact of the updated Nutri-Score algorithm on various Nova categories. Notably, ultra-processed foods saw a significant decrease in products rated A and B, with a corresponding increase in those rated D and E. However, the study authors noted variations in how different food categories were affected by these changes, emphasizing the nuanced relationship between Nutri-Score and Nova in measuring health aspects at the food level.
Overall, the study concluded that the updated Nutri-Score algorithm reinforces its compatibility with the Nova classification system, highlighting their synergy in evaluating nutritional composition and food processing levels. Despite measuring distinct health dimensions, both systems contribute to a comprehensive understanding of food products’ health attributes.
[Source: Food Navigator]