GroceryDB: Prevalence of Processed Food in Grocery Stores

The offering of grocery stores is a strong driver of consumer decisions, shaping their diet and long-term health. While highly processed food like packaged products, processed meat, and sweetened soft drinks have been increasingly associated with unhealthy diet, information on the degree of processing characterizing an item in a store is not straight forward to obtain, limiting the ability of individuals to make informed choices. Here we introduce GroceryDB, a database with over 50,000 food items sold by Walmart, Target, and Wholefoods, unveiling how big data can be harnessed to empower consumers and policymakers with systematic access to the degree of processing of the foods they select, and the potential alternatives in the surrounding food environment. The extensive data gathered on ingredient lists and nutrition facts enables a large-scale analysis of ingredient patterns and degrees of processing, categorized by store, food category, and price range. Our findings reveal that the degree of food processing varies significantly across different food categories and grocery stores. Furthermore, this data allows us to quantify the individual contribution of over 1,000 ingredients to ultra-processing. GroceryDB and the associated http://TrueFood.Tech/ website make this information accessible, guiding consumers toward less processed food choices while assisting policymakers in reforming the food supply.