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Nutrition labelling of foods should incorporate nutrient release rates

Foods and diets form the basis for preventative approaches that reduce dependence on health systems and improve human wellbeing. Current food labelling is out of step with healthy diet recommendations but could be improved by including predicted nutrient release rates alongside nutrient contents. These rates can help quantify the effects of food processing on nutritional value and identify the fraction of food-derived nutrients available for nourishing the gut microbiota.

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Fig. 1: Nutrient labelling.

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Correspondence to Michael J. Gidley.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Nature Food thanks Bruce Hamaker and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Gidley, M.J. Nutrition labelling of foods should incorporate nutrient release rates. Nat Food 6, 528–530 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01187-y

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