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Processed foods

Processed foods

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines processed foods as products that have undergone any changes in their natural condition, i.e., any raw agricultural products that have been washed, cleaned, chopped, cut, heated, pasteurized, blanched, cooked, preserved freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging or other procedures that change the product from its natural state. Product may include the addition of additional ingredients, such as preservatives, flavorings, nutrients and other food additives or substances approved for use in food products, such as salt, sugars and fats. The Institute of Food Technologists includes additional processing terms like storing, filtering, fermenting, extracting, concentrating, microwaving, and packaging.

Features of use

Processed foods are generally thought to be inferior to unprocessed. They may resemble a packaged product containing a large number of ingredients, and even the presence of possible artificial colors, flavors, or other chemical and food additives. It is often assumed that processed foods or pre-prepared foods, are suggested to be a contributor to the obesity epidemic and rising prevalence of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. However, the definition of processed foods varies widely depending on the source.

Product standard

According to these standards, virtually all foods sold in the supermarket would be classified as "processed" to some degree. Because food begins to deteriorate and lose nutrients as soon as it is harvested, even the apples in the produce aisle undergo four or more processing steps before being sold to the consumer. That’s why in practice, it's helpful to differentiate between the various degrees of food processing.

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