General Food Non-UPF Application

Who This Application is For

Use this application if your product is not classified as 100% fresh produce or single-ingredient, uncooked grains, legumes, nuts or seeds in their whole form. Visit here for the Select Whole Foods Application.

How it Works

Submitting an application does not guarantee approval. The Non-UPF Program reserves the right to approve or deny any application at its sole discretion based on internal standards and scientific review.

A non-refundable $75 application fee per product is required and will be credited toward the $100 annual certification fee if approved.

What Is Excluded

UPF are excluded from our certification. UPF are industrial formulations that contain ingredients (i.e.,high-fructose corn syrup, modified starches) and/or additives (i.e., flavors, colors, artificial sweeteners) not commonly found in your kitchen. UPF also include foods that have gone through prefrying, extrusion, or molding.

For a details, see Nova Group 4 classification.

The Non-UPF Program has worked extensively since we trademarked our certification in June 2024 to identify additives and ingredients classified as Nova Group 4. We will evaluate whether your product excludes any ingredients or processing techniques in Nova Group 4 and whether it falls under Nova 1-3 categories.

Additional Preservatives Excluded

Nova Group 4 allows the use of preservatives, but some are emerging as potentially harmful. For the non-UPF application, we are excluding these additional preservatives:  

  • BHT, Butylated Hydroxytoluene  

  • Synthetic Nitrites and nitrates  

  • Propylparaben 

  • BHA, Butylated hydroxyanisole

  • TBHQ, Tert-butylhydroquinone

  • BVO, Brominated vegetable oil

We reserve the right to update the criteria.