City argues corporations profit while communities bear the cost of diseases linked to ultra-processed foods
City argues corporations profit while communities bear the cost of diseases linked to ultra-processed foods
San Francisco will file the nation’s first government lawsuit against food manufacturers over ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on Tuesday, arguing that local governments have been shouldering the costs of treating diseases that stem from public consumption of the companies’ products.
The city’s attorney, David Chiu, told the New York Times they will sue 10 corporations that create some of the country’s most popular food and drinks, from chicken nuggets and frozen pizzas to potato chips and sugary breakfast cereals – but also foods like breads and granola bars that are marketed as “healthy”.
UPFs are industrially manufactured food products and contain ingredients not found in the average home kitchen, such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial colors and emulsifiers, with little to no whole food content. It is estimated that more than 70% of the US food supply is composed of foods commonly considered ultra-processed, and that children get over 60% of their calories from such foods.
The world’s largest review, published last month, found that UPFs are linked to harm in every major organ system of the human body and pose a seismic threat to global health.
