| The procedure of food processing provides | | | | nutritious than natural food. But all this depends on |
| availability of many food products that we are | | | | the way that particular food is processed. For |
| not able to eat otherwise. Without this | | | | example, green vegetables are harvested within |
| ‘food processing’ we undoubtedly, | | | | hours of their harvesting. In this way, the loss of |
| would not have that large variety of food | | | | nutrients is minimal and these vegetables |
| products available in the market. This is only | | | | preserve their high content of vitamins and |
| because of various food processing methods that | | | | minerals. In natural way, vegetables are kept in |
| our supermarkets and superstore shelves are full | | | | open or in water for weeks before they are |
| of those things which are available only for a | | | | cooked. Hence, there is every possibility of them |
| particular season of the year. Food processing | | | | losing more and more nutrients than in processed |
| enables 365 days availability of almost all the food | | | | way. Some food stuff such as wheat bread and |
| items. Frozen and canned fruits, vegetables and | | | | breakfast food has extra nutrients for extra |
| meat products are the best examples that define | | | | nutrition. This can't be said that processed food is |
| food processing. UHT milk and tinned ready-to-eat | | | | less nutritious because in food processing industry, |
| fish are other two examples that prove that | | | | it is taken special care of. |
| nutritious food is also readily available as the result | | | | MYTH: The additives and chemicals used as |
| of food processing. | | | | preservatives are not regulated and checked. |
| Varieties of methods used in food processing are | | | | FACT: the fact is that these additives play an |
| also very helpful in increasing the safety and the | | | | important role in keeping the freshness, safety, |
| quality of the food. Procedures such as heating | | | | taste, color and texture of the food. The other |
| foodstuff on relatively high temperature razes out | | | | fact is that these additives are included in food |
| bacteria, many types of additives added in | | | | processing for some special reasons whether |
| processed food helps in cutting fats from certain | | | | they are to guarantee their safety, to improve |
| food and also saves food from getting rotted by | | | | their nutritional value or to increase their taste and |
| growth of fungus and bacteria. Super quality | | | | appearance. Additives such as anti-oxidants stops |
| packaging helps food from tempering. | | | | oil from getting changed into rancid and additives |
| The other big advantage processed foods provide | | | | like emulsifiers restricts peanut butter from |
| is convenience of getting food anytime, | | | | getting divided into solid and liquid parts. Food |
| anywhere. One cannot imagine life without frozen | | | | additives that are approved and permitted by |
| food and canned fruits that makes a perfect | | | | authorities are used in food processing industry |
| mood for a Sunday breakfast. Following are some | | | | and a regulatory committee keeps a strict vigil on |
| myths and facts connected with processed food. | | | | the amount and the types of those additives. It is |
| MYTH: There is no nutrition available in processed | | | | also a rule in food processing industry throughout |
| food as available in natural food. | | | | the world to list every ingredient used in |
| FACT: Many processed foods are even more | | | | processing of that particular food item. |