Safety concerns of processed foods in terms of neo-formed contaminants and NOVA classification

Processing of foods is essential to supply safe and nutritious foods to the growing world population. Considering the food-processing conditions and the composition of food products, neo-formed contaminants, such as acrylamide, furan, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, nitrosamines, heterocyclic amines, and so on, are known to be formed in highly consumed foods. NOVA classifies foods into four groups as unprocessed/minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed, and ultraprocessed foods. This review aims to stress how the NOVA food-classification system is ambiguous in terms of food safety because thermal-process contaminants might also occur in minimally processed foods or might be prevented in so-called ultraprocessed foods by using industrial food processes or processing aids. • Highly consumed foods contain process contaminants that create health risks • The NOVA system does not consider the processing contaminants in foods • Minimally processed/unprocessed foods have health risks due to process contaminants • The risk of contaminants in ultraprocessed foods can be reduced by food industry