Big tobacco helped shape ultra-processed foods : NPR

Researchers published in the American Journal of Public Health on June 3 argue that ultra-processed foods are intentionally designed using addictive technologies developed by the tobacco industry. According to the research, tobacco giants applied flavor engineering and marketing strategies to food products starting in the 1980s to increase consumption and habit formation.

How did tobacco companies influence the food industry?

Tobacco giants aggressively expanded into manufactured foods during the 1980s by purchasing major food firms. Philip Morris previously owned Kraft General Foods, while RJ Reynolds owned Nabisco, according to Laura Schmidt, a professor and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco.

Schmidt says internal company records show tobacco firms deliberately transferred research on nicotine addiction to food manufacturing. They used added sugar and artificial flavorings to optimize the addictive properties of ultra-processed foods.

This technology influenced specific products, such as Lunchables. Schmidt notes that Philip Morris applied flavor technologies used for lower-nicotine cigarettes to create processed meats and lower-fat cheeses.

Did You Know? The term “king size,” commonly used for candies and packaged snacks today, originated as a marketing tool for longer cigarettes.

Why are these foods considered addictive?

Tera Fazzino, an associate professor at the University of Kansas, states that tobacco-owned firms saturated the market with “hyper-palatable” foods from the 1980s through the mid-2000s. These products contain unnaturally high levels of fat, sugar, sodium, and carbohydrates.

According to Fazzino, these combinations activate the brain’s reward system, making it difficult for consumers to stop eating. A former Philip Morris CEO described ultra-processed foods and cigarettes as similar businesses because both were low-cost consumer packaged goods with massive markets.

Marketing strategies also mirrored tobacco tactics. Fazzino says companies developed “light” and reduced-fat food products to retain customers who were concerned about health harms, similar to the sale of light cigarettes.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that the intersection of chemical engineering and consumer psychology creates a significant public health challenge. When food is engineered to bypass natural satiety signals, the burden of choice shifts from the consumer to the manufacturer, increasing the stakes for government intervention.

What are the health and environmental consequences?

Over-consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to obesity, diabetes, and all-cause mortality. A study of more than 5,000 older Americans over 10 years found a possible association between these foods and an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

How the tobacco industry drove the rise of ultra-processed foods

The industry’s impact extends to the environment. An editorial in the American Journal of Public Health identifies Danone, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola as being among the top five plastic polluters globally.

Natalie Rubino of the Consumer Brands Association defended the industry, stating that brands adhere to FDA safety standards and nutrition policies to provide affordable, convenient products.

What happens next for food regulation?

A survey of 2,000 adults found that a majority of respondents, across party lines, want the government to regulate ultra-processed foods. Lindsey Smith Taillie, a professor at the University of North Carolina, suggests this public support may lead to policy actions similar to those seen in the tobacco industry.

Change is likely to occur at the state level first. Some states have already passed bans or restrictions on synthetic food dyes.

Jennifer Pomeranz, a food policy and law expert at New York University, suggests state attorneys general could file lawsuits against food companies for public health damages. She notes that the “Make America Healthy Again” movement is currently influential in calling for the removal of artificial additives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did tobacco companies make food more addictive?
According to researcher Laura Schmidt, tobacco firms used the same flavor engineering and chemical additive technologies they developed for nicotine to optimize the addictive properties of ultra-processed foods.

Which food companies were owned by tobacco giants?
The source mentions that Philip Morris once owned Kraft General Foods and RJ Reynolds once owned Nabisco.

What is the link between ultra-processed foods and brain health?
One study involving 5,000 older Americans over a decade found a possible association between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and an increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.

Do you think government regulation is the most effective way to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods?