
A Pennsylvania man recently filed a landmark lawsuit against the makers of ultra-processed foods, including Kraft-Heinz, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Co, General Mills, Nestle, Mars Incorporated, WK Kellogg Co., and more. He alleges that ultra-processed foods (UPF) are “inventions of modern industrial technology and contain little to no whole food,” adding that their explosive popularity on the market has led to increased health problems in consumers, particularly children.
He further accuses these companies of creating addictive substances, targeting vulnerable populations, and contributing to dramatic increases in childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The case is pending in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County.
Ultra-Processed Foods Designed to Encourage Over-Consumption?
According to the NOVA food classification system—a scientific framework developed by epidemiologist Carlos Monteiro—ultra-processed foods are “industrial formulations made entirely or mostly from substances extracted from foods (oils, fats, sugar, starch, and proteins), derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch), or synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other organic sources (flavor enhancers, colors, and several food additives used to make the product hyper-palatable).”
Examples of these types of foods include deli meats, mass-produced bread, packaged snacks, sugary cereals, premade soups, cheese puffs, donuts, frozen pizza, soda and other carbonated drinks, and more. According to Harvard Health, the best way to identify these foods is by their long ingredient lists. Read the list, and you’ll likely see numerous ingredients, including chemicals and other words you don’t recognize.
Harvard Health recommends, “Put it back and look for something with the shortest list of ingredients possible.”
The plaintiff in this case argues that manufacturers make these foods with specific additives and processing methods that enhance taste and “mouth feel” to the point that they are irresistible. This drives consumers to eat or drink more than what is healthy. He also blames the companies for marketing their products specifically to children, using tactics like cartoon characters, vibrant colors, and fun packaging, and integrated promotions with popular media.
Food Manufacturers Were Aware of the Health Dangers
The dangers of consuming too many ultra-processed foods have been known for decades. Scientists, regulatory bodies, and health professionals have frequently issued warnings about them, yet manufacturers have continued to produce more and more of these products without alerting consumers to their potential side effects.
In a 2019 study, for instance, researchers found that those who had a higher consumption of UPFs (more than four servings daily) had a 62 percent higher risk of premature death from all causes. For each additional serving, all-cause mortality increased by 18 percent.
In 2021, researchers showed that children who consumed more UPFs were more likely to be obese. An earlier study of children and adolescents showed that increases in the dietary share of UPFs were associated with obesity in almost all countries and age groups.
The plaintiff points out a secretive meeting in Minneapolis in 1999 where food industry CEOs were warned about the health impacts of their products. Still, they made no meaningful changes.
This lawsuit is considered an important step in holding food corporations accountable for public health outcomes. If successful, it could lead to improvements in how food is made, marketed, and regulated, which, in turn, could lead to long-term health improvements in the population.

Exclusively focused on representing plaintiffs—especially in mass tort litigation—Roopal Luhana prides herself on providing unsurpassed professional legal services in pursuit of the specific goals of her clients and their families. While she handles complex cases nationwide on behalf of consumers, Ms. Luhana resides with her family in Brooklyn, New York.