Even Yogurt Is at Risk in RFK Jr.’s Fight Against Processed Food

When Danone SA set out to create a high-protein yogurt, it wanted to make sure that each spoonful was loaded with as much protein as possible, while keeping sugar levels low and the texture smooth.

To do that, it developed a process for its Oikos Pro brand that adjusted fermentation and temperature to avoid grittiness and separation, said Susan Zaripheh, Danone’s chief research and innovation leader in North America.

Now, the industry is working to make sure that process doesn’t get Danone’s yogurt and other products defined as ultra-processed food, in Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push against what ...