NOVA processing groups 1–4, explained
NOVA is a classification system that groups foods by how much, and why, they've been processed — not by their nutrient content. It was developed by Carlos Monteiro and colleagues at the University of São Paulo and is described in "Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them," Public Health Nutrition, 2019 ↗, and in a companion report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2019 ↗.
The four groups
| Group | What it covers | Everyday examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Unprocessed or minimally processed | Foods as they occur in nature, or altered only by drying, freezing, grinding or pasteurising, with nothing added or removed | Fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, plain yoghurt, dried beans |
| 2 — Processed culinary ingredients | Substances extracted from group 1 foods or from nature, used in small amounts to cook and season | Vegetable oils, butter, sugar, salt |
| 3 — Processed foods | Group 1 foods with a group 2 ingredient added — usually to preserve or make more palatable — made mostly of recognisable whole ingredients | Canned vegetables in brine, freshly baked bread, cheese, canned fish |
| 4 — Ultra-processed foods | Industrial formulations made mostly from substances extracted or synthesised from foods, plus additives for flavour, colour or texture, using techniques not used in home kitchens | Soft drinks, packaged snacks, reconstituted meat products, instant noodles |
What "ultra-processed" is, and isn't
Group 4 is defined by formulation and technique, not by a single ingredient or additive. A product typically lands there because it's built from refined starches, sugars, oils, protein isolates or similar substances, then finished with additives — sweeteners, emulsifiers, colours, flavourings — that make it palatable, long-lasting and ready to eat or heat.
Being in group 4 does not, by itself, mean a product is unsafe or should be avoided outright. Research has linked diets high in ultra-processed foods to a range of health outcomes at a population level, but the strength of evidence varies by outcome, and NOVA's group says nothing about a specific product's nutrient content, portion size or place in your overall diet. It's one lens, not a verdict — the nutrition table and ingredient list underneath it fill in the rest. When a product's group surprises you, check the label to see why.
How NOVA differs from Nutri-Score
NOVA classifies by how a food was made; Nutri-Score grades what's in it per 100 g. The two can move independently — a group 4 product can carry a reasonable Nutri-Score grade if its nutrient profile is favourable, and a group 1 or 2 food can carry a poor one if it's dense in fat, sugar or salt. Seeing both side by side, rather than either alone, gives a fuller picture. See what the Nutri-Score A–E grade means.
How Prova uses this
Prova shows the NOVA group next to the Nutri-Score grade on every result where the source data includes it, so you see processing level and nutrient profile together rather than one standing in for the other.
If ultra-processed foods are something you'd rather avoid or keep an eye on, you can flag NOVA group 4 in your personal profile, and Prova calls out matching results when you look up a product.
When a barcode has no match, photographing the label lets Prova read the ingredients directly and show the same NOVA group and grade. Full detail on how grading works is on the support page.
See the processing group behind every grade.
Get Prova — free barcode scanning, no ads, no accountProva is an information tool, not medical or dietary advice — always check the physical label, especially if you have an allergy.