On the occasion of a press conference held in the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies, at the initiative of Hon. Cristina Almici, a member of the Agriculture Committee, the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy (SIGE) outlined the impact of ultra-processed foods on digestive health. The evidence presented will feed into the Society’s position paper, expected to be published by year’s end.
A Growing Presence in Western Diets
Ready meals, processed meats, sugary drinks, and packaged snacks are taking an ever larger share of Western diets. In many high-income countries, ultra-processed foods now contribute up to 50-60% of daily caloric intake. The trend also affects Italy, where the shift toward more Westernized eating habits accompanies a gradual departure from traditional patterns, particularly the Mediterranean diet, historically linked to metabolic benefits and anti-inflammatory effects.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods
According to the NOVA classification, ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations composed predominantly of substances extracted from foods and blended with additives, such as emulsifiers, preservatives, sweeteners, and colorants, with little or no intact food remaining. Designed to maximize palatability, convenience, and shelf life, they include sweet and savory snacks, packaged products and even fruit-flavored yogurt.
Prevention and the Culture of Real Food
«The old adage ‘we are what we eat’ has never been more timely or scientifically grounded than it is today. The health of our bodies, starting with the digestive system, is built at the table through informed and mindful dietary choices. Evaluating and controlling what we put into our bodies is the first and most powerful preventive act at our disposal, and aligns well with the most modern European health recommendations that emphasize a transition from therapy to preventive actions. In this scenario, the global rise of ultra-processed foods presents a complex challenge: products often rich in additives, refined sugars, and hydrogenated fats, which threaten to move us away from protective dietary patterns. By contrast, Italy possesses an extraordinary heritage of non-ultra-processed foods, pillars of a food tradition that the world envies and uses as a model not only for digestive health but for preserving overall well-being. It is for these reasons that it is appropriate for scientific societies, like SIGE, to engage and produce documents aimed at safeguarding public health for future generations while also supporting the culture of real, fresh, and minimally processed foods,» explained Edoardo Giannini, president of SIGE, Director of the Gastroenterology Clinic at the University of Genoa and IRCCS AOM Policlinico San Martino.
Beyond Nutritional Composition
According to SIGE, the health impact of these products cannot be explained solely by their nutritional composition. Industrial processing also introduces structural and chemical modifications, in addition to a wide range of additives, which can independently influence the physiology of the digestive system.
Information and Traceability
«Health promotion also comes through knowledge. As a member of the Agriculture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, I believe it is important that discussions about ultra-processed foods be grounded in scientific evidence, avoiding oversimplifications that risk confusing citizens or unnecessarily calling into question the value of Italian agro-food productions. This initiative arises with a simple aim: to offer knowledge that helps consumers make more informed dietary choices. Scientific research is a valuable tool to strengthen prevention and promote a proper culture of nutrition» commented Hon. Cristina Almici.
Associations Emerging from the Studies
During the meeting, the Society reviewed the associations that have emerged from the latest literature. For inflammatory bowel diseases, the risk is nearly double in certain populations, particularly Crohn’s disease. For irritable bowel syndrome, UK Biobank data describe a dose–response relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and incidence. High intake is also associated with a possible increased risk of Helicobacter pylori infection and peptic ulcer disease, a higher risk of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) and its progression, as well as associations with cancers of the colon–rectum and stomach, in addition to increased risks for cancers of the esophagus, pancreas, and liver.
AGEs, Inflammation and the Intestinal Barrier
«The effect of ultra-processed foods does not depend solely on excess sugars, fats, or salt – added Giovanni Sarnelli, professor of gastroenterology at the University of Naples Federico II – Industrial processing and high-temperature cooking favor the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), molecules that can promote oxidative stress and inflammation and contribute to damage to the intestinal barrier. Today we do not have tools to intervene significantly in the industrial processes that determine their formation; for these reasons, the recommendations focus on prevention through informed dietary choices. It is prudent to limit the consumption of ultra-processed foods and favor the products typical of the Mediterranean diet, such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and fermented foods, rich in bioactive compounds and antioxidants that may help counteract the biological effects of AGEs. The message is not to demonize individual foods, but to promote a varied, balanced diet based largely on fresh or minimally processed foods».
Microbiota and Immune Response
«Available evidence indicates that ultra-processed foods can alter the homeostasis of the intestinal ecosystem through several biological mechanisms, involving the microbiota, the mucosal barrier, and the immune response. This helps explain why habitual consumption has been associated in epidemiological studies not only with common gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel diseases, but also with an increased risk of certain cancers of the digestive system, particularly colorectal cancer. While this field is still evolving, we now have a much more coherent biological framework than in the past – noted Giovanni Marasco of the University of Bologna – calling attention to the biological mechanisms that make these associations plausible: dysbiosis with reduced microbial diversity, lower production of short-chain fatty acids, expansion of pro-inflammatory species, and a compromised intestinal barrier, where emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners increase epithelial permeability, promoting activation of the mucosal immune response and chronic inflammatory processes that involve the gastrointestinal tract and the person’s overall health
One Health and the Quality of Food Production
Attention was also given to the importance of a One Health approach in tracing agro-food products together with Giuseppe Campanile, professor of special animal science at the University of Naples Federico II: «Italy is the home of the Mediterranean diet, universally recognized as a healthy-eating model. It is not limited to defining a set of foods, but represents a true lifestyle capable of promoting physical and mental well-being. A fundamental principle of food production is adopting sustainable production techniques that respect the environment and are oriented toward fostering bioactive compounds in foods. These compounds typically exert a protective action, helping to modulate inflammatory processes, which are among the primary drivers in the development of chronic-degenerative diseases. To preserve and enhance the health-promoting properties of foods, it is essential to respect the natural production cycles, follow the seasonality of crops, and avoid forcing productivity outside the physiological periods proper to each species. In this light, a healthy diet should rest on three key principles: seasonality, variety, and quality of productions. At the same time, agro-food processing should aim to enhance the value of the raw material, preserving its nutritional and sensory characteristics and enabling the production of high-quality products».
Abbonati a Karla Miller
