NOVA classification: what it is and how to use it
NOVA doesn't measure nutrients — it measures the degree of industrial transformation. Understanding the 4 groups changes how you shop.
What the NOVA classification is
NOVA is a food classification system developed by the research group of Professor Carlos Monteiro at the University of São Paulo (Brazil) and now adopted by the WHO, FAO and numerous global epidemiological studies.
Unlike nutrient-based systems (such as Nutri-Score, which evaluates calories, fat, sugar and fibre), NOVA classifies foods according to their degree of industrial processing: not "how many calories does it have", but "how much industrial transformation went into making it".
-
💡
Why processing matters
Modern industrial processes can alter fibre structure, nutrient bioavailability, the gut microbiome and the hormonal response to satiety — regardless of the final nutritional composition of the product.
-
📋
4 groups, not a continuous scale
NOVA divides all foods into 4 distinct groups. It's not a scale from 1 to 10, but a categorical classification. Each group has well-defined characteristics.
Group 1 — Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
These are foods of plant or animal origin that have not undergone any significant industrial transformation, or only minimal physical processes (drying, milling, chilling, pasteurisation) that do not alter the nature of the food.
Fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, fresh or frozen meat and fish without additives, eggs, dried pulses, whole-grain cereals (rice, oats, spelt), wholemeal flour, fresh pasteurised milk, plain yoghurt without additives, tea, coffee, water.
Group 1 foods should make up the majority of every meal. Not exclusively — you cook with Group 2 ingredients — but most of what ends up on the plate.
Group 2 — Processed culinary ingredients
These are substances extracted from Group 1 foods or from nature, used in the kitchen to cook, season and prepare food. They are not eaten on their own, but in combination with Group 1 foods.
-
🫙
Examples of Group 2
Olive oil and other vegetable oils, butter, vinegar, salt, sugar, honey, plain flour, pure cornstarch, maple syrup. Powdered milk and traditional aged cheeses also belong to Group 2.
-
✅
Use them in moderation
They are not problematic in themselves, but excess sugar, salt and saturated fat remain unfavourable. Being Group 2 doesn't mean they're "unlimited".
Group 3 — Processed foods
These are products made by adding Group 2 ingredients to Group 1 foods, using processes such as salt-preservation, smoking, fermentation or ageing. Recognisable because they typically contain just 2–3 ingredients.
Canned vegetables and pulses (with water and salt), candied and syrup-preserved fruit, roasted salted nuts, anchovies and sardines in oil, quality cured ham, traditional cheeses (parmesan, pecorino), artisan bread, wine, craft beer, extra-virgin olive oil with acidifier.
Group 3 should not be avoided. Many traditional and culturally important foods belong to this group. They may however be high in salt (preserves, cured meats) or sugar (syrup fruit): judge by quantity.
Group 4 — Ultra-processed: the group to limit
Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations that contain no whole food ingredients, or use them only minimally. They are built from extracted, purified or chemically modified ingredients, plus large quantities of technological additives.
The key signal: they contain ingredients that you wouldn't find in a home kitchen.
-
🚩
Typical Group 4 ingredients
Hydrolysed proteins, modified starches, glucose-fructose syrup, hydrogenated oils, "nature-identical" flavourings, artificial colorings, intense sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose), emulsifiers (E471, E472), stabilisers, multiple chemical leavening agents.
-
📦
Common examples
Industrial snack cakes, sugary breakfast cereals, carbonated drinks and energy drinks, additive-laden sandwich bread, reconstructed hot dogs and deli meats, chicken nuggets and fish fingers, flavoured yoghurts with thickeners, frozen ready meals, industrial pizza, packet sauces, stock cubes with flavour enhancers.
NOVA in everyday shopping
Applying NOVA at the supermarket doesn't require memorising all the categories. A few mental questions while reading a label are enough.
-
1
"Could I make this at home with normal ingredients?"
If the answer is yes, it's probably Group 1, 2 or 3. If no (because it uses ingredients that don't exist in regular shops), it's almost certainly Group 4.
-
2
Look for Group 4 "trigger words"
"Modified starch", "isolated soy protein", "maltodextrins", "syrup of", "complex flavourings", "hydrogenated palm oil", "sodium caseinate". If these appear, you're in Group 4.
-
3
Practical rule: more than half your plate from Group 1
It's not about eliminating every ultra-processed food. The goal is for vegetables, legumes, whole grains, eggs and unprocessed meat/fish to form the foundation of your main meals.
-
4
Use the app when in doubt
E-Codes Reader shows the NOVA classification for every scanned product. When the label is ambiguous, the app gives you an answer in seconds.
| Group | Definition | Examples | In diet |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOVA 1 | Unprocessed/minimally processed | Fruit, vegetables, eggs, fresh meat, whole grains | Foundation |
| NOVA 2 | Culinary ingredients | Oil, salt, sugar, flour, butter | In moderation |
| NOVA 3 | Traditionally processed | Preserves, cheeses, cured ham, artisan bread | Acceptable |
| NOVA 4 | Ultra-processed | Snack cakes, hot dogs, sugary cereals, ready meals | Limit |