Processed food

Processed Food

What do you think processed food is?

Talk in your tables for 2 minutes and discuss what you think processed food is.

Processed food is...

Processed food is any food that has been changed during its preparation. Today, many foods are processed, which makes them quicker to prepare, last longer and provide more variety of foods all year round than ever before.

How is food processed?

Food can be processed in many different ways. These include: • drying • baking • pasteurising • freezing • canning • washing • cutting • heating • filtering

What can be added?

Additives are ingredients that are put into foods.

• Preservatives are added to make food last longer.
• Flavourings, including herbs, spices and other ingredients, are added to enhance taste.
• Colourings change the colour of food.
• Vitamins and minerals are added to make food more nutritious.

Categories of processed food

Unprocessed

processed

Minimally processed

Ultra processed

Foods have had artificial ingredients added and have been through significant changes. They are usually ready to eat and low in nutrients. Examples include takeaway pizzas, sweets and crisps

Foods have been changed slightly, but the nutritional content has not changed. For example packaged and refrigerated apples

Foods have had ingredients added or have been changed before eating. For example, tinned tomatoes have been cooked and sealed in cans.

Foods are whole foods that have not been changed before eating. Examples include fresh, unpackaged strawberries and potatoes.

Food labels

Food labels tell consumers (us!) what ingredients are added to food. They also explain the nutritional value of food, so that people can control the amount of sugar, salt and food groups in their diet. Colour coded labels tell consumers if a food has low, medium or high amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and salt. Green means low, amber means medium and red means high.

The cons

The pros

• Processing can reduce the nutrients in food. For example, canned fruits contain less vitamin C than fresh fruits. • Ultra-processed foods are often high in saturated fats, salt and sugar. Too much of these ingredients can lead to serious health problems. • Ultra-processed foods can be addictive, because some ingredients make you want to eat more of them. • Most ultra-processed foods are low in nutrients and not very filling. • Putting food through lots of processes makes it more likely to become contaminated. For example, foods processed in the same factory as nuts may contain traces of nuts.

• Processed foods can save people time. • Some can provide nutrients, such as essential vitamins and minerals being added to cereals and bread. • Some processes stop foods from losing nutrients, such as freezing fruits soon after harvesting. • Some processes make foods or drinks safer, such as pasteurising milk to kill harmful microorganisms. • Processed foods often last longer. • Some foods would not be available all year round if they were not processed. • Processed foods are easier to transport and store.

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