Food processing: Legacy, significance and challenges

Food processing is under severe criticism despite of its 3.3 million years history and despite of all advancements in food safety, quality and functionality. Criticisms lack understanding of differences between unit operation-based processing and food ingredients addition-based formulations. A balanced presentation of importance, advantages, disadvantages, food processing responsibilities and challenges is needed. The paper discusses the role of food processing to ensure sustainable and healthy diets. It presents origins, aims and purpose of food processing, food safety, dietary and food systems sustainability aspects. Food processing missions and responsibilities to meet current nutritional challenges are demonstrated and the aims of food processing are presented. Advantages of food processing, including safety, nutritional and sensory aspects, convenience, independence, waste reduction are greater than the disadvantages like nutrient reduction, generation of undesired compounds or functionality changes. Recent food technology innovations aid caloric intake reduction, enhance health benefits of foods, improve food safety, reduce allergy and food waste issues, enable stable but fresh foods. Mounting responsibilities towards food processing over the last 80 years are presented and how emerging technologies have been directed towards nutritional quality enhancement, provision of improved food functionalities, resource efficiency and food safety extension. The paper calls for improved integration of all players involved within food systems, to communicate and learn for each other, to respect each other and collectively work on the responsibilities ahead.