What does the process of food processing involve?

The process of food processing primarily involves the transformation of raw ingredients into food products through a variety of means. This can encompass a range of activities that typically begin with cleaning and preparing food for cooking. This initial stage is crucial as it ensures that the food items are free from contaminants and ready for further preparation.

Cleaning food is essential to remove pesticides, dirt, and bacteria, while preparing includes cutting, slicing, or marinating the ingredients, setting the stage for cooking or further processing. This foundational step ensures that the food not only retains its nutritional value but also is safe to consume. The subsequent processes, such as cooking, storing, and packaging, follow after this preparation phase, but they are not part of the initial food processing definition, which centers on cleaning and preparing.