New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- The economic survey of 2024-25 released on Friday has sought stringent regulations for ultra-processed foods (UPFs)-which undergo a high degree of processing, are high in calories, and cause long-term harm-even suggesting a higher tax rate on them to deter consumption.

Ultra-processed foods include soft drinks, packaged potato wafers, chocolate, candy, ice cream, sweetened breakfast cereals, packaged soups, nuggets, fries, etc., which are low on nutrients and typically contain extremely high levels of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and are also often referred to as "predigested" food.

That they are super unhealthy is well known, but they continue to attract consumers for various reasons including artificially inf...