For vegans, processed foods are a staple, especially when it comes to protein allocation. However, not much information is known about the actual manufacturing of these products. “Plant-based” is a buzzy term that gives the feeling that one is consuming something completely healthy, but how wholesome can food be that has been created by machinery?
BBC defines food processing as “the stages raw ingredients go through to become something we can eat.” For vegans, this transformation is necessary to turn things like wheat gluten and soy into protein-packed meat substitutes or to create dairy-free sweet treats. But it also pertains to other foods like canned vegetables and frozen fruits. Bulk Inside explains the three stages in food processing: Primary, which involves converting raw ingredients to food – similar to milling; secondary processing, which relies on combining foods to alter their properties (like baking or brewing); finally, tertiary food processing, which is the production of things like TV dinners or other easy-to-consume treats.
Once items are created, there are four steps to making food commercially available: production, packaging, safety, and inventory. These stages include the creation of a product, finding safe and durable packaging for transport that also speaks to the brand, the cleanliness of an item and whether it can withstand food-borne pathogens, and finally, the shelf life of an item once it finds its way to consumers. These are laborious steps for processed foods, and that’s why many people are shifting to clean eating. Nutrition specialist Keri Glassman R.D. explained this concept to Women’s Health back in 2018: “For some people, it might mean, ‘I’m not eating fast food or fried food.’ Or, ‘I’m eating only raw, vegan food prepared at home.'”
