Editing Food processing (section)

{{short description|Transformation of raw ingredients into a food like product, or of food into other forms}}
{{Distinguish|Food processor}}{{More citations needed|date=December 2024}}[[File:Production of cheese 1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Industrial [[cheese]] production]]
'''Food processing''' is the transformation of [[Agriculture|agricultural products]] into [[food]], or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding [[grain]] into raw [[flour]], [[home cooking]], and complex industrial methods used in the making of [[convenience food]]s.  Some food processing methods play important roles in reducing [[food waste]] and improving [[food preservation]], thus reducing the total [[environmental impact of agriculture]] and improving [[food security]].

The [[Nova classification]] groups food according to different food processing techniques.

Primary food processing is necessary to make most foods edible while secondary food processing turns ingredients into familiar foods, such as [[bread]]. Tertiary food processing results in [[ultra-processed foods]] and has been widely criticized for promoting [[overnutrition]] and [[obesity]], containing too much [[sugar]] and [[salt]], too little [[Dietary fiber|fiber]], and otherwise being unhealthful in respect to dietary needs of humans and farm animals.