Top FDA officials weighing regulation of ultra-processed foods, internal documents show Nicholas Florko By Nicholas Florko July 15, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/07/15/fda-explores-ultra-processed-food-regulation/ When you think of the growing “Food is Medicine,” movement, a Jimmy Dean frozen sausage breakfast sandwich might not be the “medicine” you imagine. Nor a cheeseburger, nor biscuits and gravy. But these are just some of the meals that for-profit companies are sending to people with diet-related conditions like cancer or diabetes to help improve their health and stay out of the hospital. While there’s no universal definition for a “medically tailored” meal like these, most nutrition experts say they should be low in certain ingredients like sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat, and high in others, like fiber. They also expect meals to be free of the additives that typically lace unhealthy processed foods. Despite these standards, companies can (and do!) bill Medicaid for meals loaded with sodium and saturated fat — some of which could be bought in the grocery store at much lower cost. Read the fascinating story from STAT’s Nick Florko on what these meals look like (more photos included) and what concerns they raise about federal and state oversight of meal delivery programs.