MOFPI, NIFTEM-Kundli develop FAQs to address misconceptions about processed foods

Food processing involves the transformation of raw ingredients into products, supporting enhanced safety, extended shelf life, and improved nutritional value.

Enormous significance of food processing

The industrial application of food processing is of enormous significance for India's development, as it promotes vital linkages and synergies between agriculture and industry, the two pillars of the economy. The sector has been growing steadily, reporting an annual growth rate of around 5.3% over the last eight years ending 2022-23. It contributes significantly to employment generation, value addition, and export earnings, accounting for nearly 7.66% of India's gross value added (GVA) in manufacturing. Key drivers for this growth include increasing urbanisation, changed demographics with a rise in disposable income, and the growing demand for functional and nutraceutical foods.

Processing adds value by improving food safety and nutrition and reducing food waste. Techniques such as pasteurisation, sterilisation, and irradiation eliminate or control pathogens to ensure food safety. Processing methods like drying, freezing, and canning extend the shelf life, making food available year-round and preserving surplus harvest, thus reducing food loss. Nutritionally, traditional methods such as soaking, fermentation, and germination improve the bioavailability of nutrients by reducing anti-nutritional factors like phytates and tannins. Furthermore, fortification is widely used to address micronutrient deficiencies, with examples like iodised salt, fortified rice, and milk. The industry also develops categories of food for special nutritional or dietary purposes, regulated under the FSSAI (Nutra) Regulations, 2022, which include health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary use (FSDU), food for special medical purposes (FSMP), and prebiotic and probiotic food.

Continuous innovations for nutritional integrity, safety, and appeal

The sector continually innovates to maintain nutritional integrity, safety, and appeal. For instance, in addition to thermal processing, non-thermal technologies such as high-pressure processing (HPP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing are utilised as gentler alternatives to preserve heat-sensitive nutrients and extend shelf life.

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is also used to control the gaseous environment in packaging, which reduces oxidation and maintains nutrient stability. To mitigate the formation of potential chemical contaminants like

acrylamide (which forms in starchy foods cooked at high temperatures), the industry employs strategies such as controlling temperature and time, using the asparaginase enzyme, and optimising raw material selection.

MOFPI's FAQs address public confusion

A major area of focus for the MOFPI's FAQs is to address public confusion. It is highlighted that food processing is not inherently harmful, as it improves food safety, extends shelf life, and increases convenience and accessibility. The term UPFs, while globally adopted, is specific to the NOVA classification system and is criticised for basing its definition solely on the degree of processing and the number of ingredients, often leading to the misclassification of healthy foods like fortified breakfast cereals and whole-grain bread as UPFs. What truly matters is the final nutritional composition of the product, not merely the level of processing. Similarly, while HFSS foods, high in saturated fats, added sugars, or sodium, increase the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like obesity and diabetes, these diseases arise from long-term poor dietary patterns, sedentary lifestyles, and other factors, not just HFSS foods alone.

Consumers are advised to make informed decisions by carefully reading the food label, scrutinising the "per serving" information, checking for added sugars and saturated fats, and looking for fibre and protein content. Furthermore, they should be skeptical of marketing claims like "low-fat" or "natural" and check for FSSAI licenses and fortification logos. The Ministry emphasises that HFSS foods can be part of a balanced diet, but only when consumed in controlled portions and occasionally, with the overall diet being rich in nutrient-dense foods. The key to health lies in overall dietary quality, lifestyle management, and awareness, which the MOFPI and its associated institutions, such as NIFTEM-Kundli, aim to promote through science-based information.