The food industry does not design products to maximise nutrition. It designs products to maximise consumption. The tools for doing so are food science: the engineering of specific combinations of fat, sugar, salt, texture, and flavouring that activate reward pathways in the brain more powerfully than the same nutrients from whole food sources. This is not speculation. It is documented in industry research and confirmed by independent neuroimaging studies that show ultra-processed foods activate dopaminergic reward circuits in ways that are qualitatively similar to, though less intense than, addictive substances.
The Bliss Point
The food scientist Howard Moskowitz coined the term bliss point to describe the specific combination of fat, sugar, and salt that produces maximum palatability and maximum desire for continued consumption without producing satiety. Ultra-processed foods are formulated to this bliss point through extensive consumer testing. Natural whole foods do not hit this bliss point because they evolved to nourish rather than to maximise consumption. A grilled piece of salmon and a bowl of lentils will stop tasting desirable before you have eaten more than you need. A bag of flavoured crisps will not.
Sensory-Specific Satiety
Sensory-specific satiety is the reduction in appetite for a specific taste as it is consumed, which protects against overconsumption of any single food. Ultra-processed food formulation exploits complex flavour combinations that engage multiple taste and reward pathways simultaneously, reducing sensory-specific satiety and allowing continued consumption beyond physiological need. Whole foods with a single dominant flavour profile reach their natural palatability ceiling quickly. Engineered products are specifically designed not to.