Invitation to an Evening Lecture on August 18, 2026: Highly Processed Foods—Good or Bad?

Where? Villa Ecarius, Bahnhofstraße 54, 67346 Speyer (lecture hall is wheelchair accessible)

When? Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.

Speaker: Prof. em. Dr. Hannelore Daniel, former Chair of Nutritional Physiology, Technical University of Munich

Once again this year, LUFA Speyer invites you to its public lecture series on the topics of agriculture, the environment, and consumer protection. The lectures will be held from August through December in cooperation with the Speyer Adult Education Center. To kick off the series, renowned nutrition scientist Prof. Emerita Dr. Hannelore Daniel will speak on highly processed foods, a topic that sparks heated debate not only among the general public but also in nutrition research.

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About the Lecture

Never before in human history has the food supply been as varied, widely available, affordable, and convenient to obtain and prepare as it is today. At the same time, a large number of observational studies—worldwide—show that the number of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer is rising sharply. Recently, so-called ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have been held primarily responsible for this disease burden. However, classifying a food as an UPF is highly controversial and has not yet been recognized by professional societies. Nevertheless, new studies published almost daily ensure that this topic receives significant public attention. During the presentation and the subsequent Q&A session, the fundamentals of this controversial classification of foods as “good or bad” will be presented, and the current body of evidence will be critically evaluated. The food additives, which also play a major role in the UPF debate, will be examined in terms of their significance for a product’s classification. Ultimately, participants will learn what conclusions can be drawn from the assessment of modern food production and how to effectively apply these insights to their own diets.

Please note that the presentation will be given in German.