A New Way to Classify Foods: The Impact on Milling and Baking

Yesterday I came across a very interesting article on how food classification systems are evolving — and it made me think about our own world of milling and baking.

For years, processed foods have been judged unfairly. But now, a new scientific approach is changing the game.

I tried to simplify the discussion and explain what this change means for all of us working with flour, bread, pastries, and cakes.

Let’s First Set the Stage: What Is the Big Discussion About?

Today in the food world, there is a major debate happening:

• How should we classify foods?

• How do we judge if a food is good or bad for health?

• And how much does processing really matter?

In recent years, the focus shifted from ingredients alone to how much a food is processed. Many people started believing:

"The more processed a food is, the worse it is."

This idea became very powerful — and it is organized into something called the NOVA classification system.

What Exactly Is NOVA Classification?

The NOVA system divides foods into 4 groups based on how much processing they undergo:

1. Group 1 – Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, fresh meat)

2. Group 2 – Processed culinary ingredients (oil, butter, sugar, salt)

3. Group 3 – Processed foods (canned vegetables, cheeses, simple breads)

4. Group 4 – Ultra-processed foods (soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweet industrial pastries, ready meals)

The main message of NOVA is:

Processing = bad for health.

Because of NOVA, many foods that involve any significant processing are automatically seen as harmful.

Why Should This Matter to Milling and Baking?

Because many of our products — flours, breads, pastries, cakes — are processed. And under NOVA, even high-quality, nutritious breads are often lumped together with junk foods.

Example:

• A wholegrain sourdough bread made with minimal ingredients is considered "ultra-processed" just because yeast, salt, or fermentation steps are involved.

• Meanwhile, fresh-squeezed fruit juice is seen as "good," even though it can spike blood sugar very fast.

This creates huge confusion and punishes real innovation and nutrition efforts in our industry.

The Big Problems With NOVA

There are two main problems with the NOVA system:

1. It mixes ingredients and processing.

It does not distinguish clearly between:

• Formulation (what you put inside)

• Processing (what you do to it)

Example: A bread with wholemeal flour and yeast might be treated the same as a sugary packaged snack — just because both are "processed."

2. It doesn’t measure anything.

NOVA is based on assumptions, not scientific measurements. It doesn’t calculate nutrient retention, fiber content, bioavailability, or anything quantitative.

Result: A highly nutritious baked bread can be seen as "bad," while a low-nutrient "natural" product is seen as "good."

The debate became emotional — not scientific.

What Is Changing Now?

The article I read explains that scientists from IUFoST (International Union of Food Science and Technology) are proposing a new system: The IUFoST Formulation & Processing Classification (IF&PC).

This new system:

• Separates formulation and processing.

• Measures food quality scientifically, using real numbers.

Two important tools are introduced:

• NRF Score: Nutrient Rich Food Index — measures how nutrient-dense a product is based on its ingredients.

• ΔNRF: The change in nutritional quality caused by processing.

Processing is no longer automatically bad — it is evaluated properly.

Let’s Take Some Practical Examples

Example 1: Wholegrain Bread

• NOVA: Might classify it as "ultra-processed" because it uses flour, water, yeast, salt, and baking.

• IF&PC: Measures the high fiber, mineral content (NRF score) and shows that careful baking preserves the nutrition.

➡️ Result: Wholegrain bread can be recognized scientifically as nutritious.

Example 2: White Industrial Bread

• NOVA: Also "ultra-processed."

• IF&PC: Shows lower fiber (lower NRF), but also looks at how processing affects the final product. Enrichment strategies (like vitamin fortification) can be scientifically credited.

➡️ Result: Fair evaluation based on real nutrient outcomes.

The Key Concept: "Processing Creates Structure, and Structure Creates Properties"

One brilliant idea from the article is:

"Process creates structure. Structure gives properties."

In milling and baking, it’s all about structure:

• Milling affects granulation and starch damage.

• Fermentation builds gluten networks.

• Baking sets crumb structure and freshness.

If we engineer the right structure through careful processing, we create foods that are tasty, nutritious, and stable.

And now, with the new system, we can prove it scientifically.

Reverse Engineering: Start From the Goal

Instead of trial and error, we now move toward reverse engineering:

• Start with the goal (e.g., "I want a bread that stays fresh 7 days naturally.")

• Design the structure needed.

• Plan the processing steps that build that structure.

It’s like building a house: You first imagine what you want, then design the steps to get there.

Processing Is Not the Enemy — It’s Our Friend

Good processing can:

• Retain fiber and micronutrients

• Improve digestibility

• Extend shelf life naturally

• Make food safer and more affordable

Without responsible processing, we could not feed millions of people properly.

The new system finally respects this.

How Will These Changes Affect Milling and Baking?

These changes will deeply impact how we work every day:

1. We Will Need to Measure Our Products Scientifically

Mills and bakeries will have to show real data — NRF scores, nutrient retention — not just nice marketing words.

✅ Action: Invest in basic nutritional testing and learn to explain it clearly.

2. Processing Will Be Seen Differently

Gentle, careful processing that protects nutrients will be valued. Harsh or unnecessary processing will be penalized.

✅ Action: Optimize milling and baking parameters to preserve nutrition and structure.

3. Smart Formulation Will Become More Important

It’s not just less processing — it's smarter recipes.

✅ Action: Use fibers, enzymes, pre-fermentation, fortification strategies.

4. Communication Will Change

Consumers will ask for scientific proof, not just emotional claims.

✅ Action: Train teams to explain products using simple but scientific language.

5. Huge New Opportunities for Innovation

• Flours engineered for slower digestion

• Breads that stay fresh naturally

• Healthier pastries with better fiber and vitamin profiles

✅ Action: Start developing products designed for both taste and proven nutrition.

What Will the Future Baker and Miller Look Like?

The future professional will need to be:

• Technically skilled

• Data-driven

• Creative

• Transparent and honest

It’s not about abandoning tradition. It’s about using science to make tradition even stronger.

Final Thought

In the coming years, when someone asks:

"Is your flour or bread healthy?"

We won’t just say:

"It’s natural."

We will say:

"Here is the proof."

And that, my friends, will be the biggest and most exciting change for our industry.

Reference

This article is inspired by the recent publication: "Defining the role of processing in food classification systems — the IUFoST formulation & processing approach," published in the journal npj Science of Food (2024).

Authors: Michael L. Rychlik, Julian McClements, Luisa Marti, and others, as part of the IUFoST task force. You can access the full article here.

Thanks for reading✨📚

GRAINAR