Ultra-processed foods: increasing the risk of inflammation and immune dysregulation?

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are industrially formulated products that contain synthetic ingredients but minimal whole-food components. Diets high in UPFs are associated with increased risk of immune dysregulation-linked diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and potentially autoimmune disease. Several putative mechanisms have been proposed to explain this association, and these need urgent research attention. This Comment discusses the potential effects of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on the immune system independently of obesity, by which UPFs might dysregulate the balance between the gut microbiota and immune cells.