Scientists have identified a distinct biochemical fingerprint in the bloodstream that corresponds to how many ultra-processed foods a person eats, and that signature is associated with elevated markers for inflammation, impaired fat metabolism, and heightened chronic disease risk.
The finding, published July 6, 2026 in the peer-reviewed journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, comes from a team led by Dr. Jessica Blanco-Lopez of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization. It is the largest study of its kind to use targeted metabolomics — the analysis of small molecules in the blood that reflect metabolic processes — to examine what ultra-processed food actually does inside the body.
