Why we process food

People have processed food for a very long time. Grains were dried; we made pickles, murabbas and papads. Processing makes food easier to digest, tastier, and available all year.

Today, buyers want food that is fresh, safe and healthy, that keeps well, and that is convenient: from biscuits to ready-to-eat curries.

India once grew too little food. Now it grows a surplus, so it needs storage and processing. India's food industry is among the largest in the world, and a big part of the GDP.

Fortification adds nutrients that people lack:

• iodine in salt;
• folic acid in flour;
• vitamins A and D in milk and oils.

FSSAI sets the standards for fortified foods. Processing also serves people with heart disease or diabetes: artificial sweeteners cut calories, and treated proteins can replace fat in ice cream. People also want foods without added chemicals and preservatives that still keep well. Process food to keep it, to fortify it, and to fit modern needs.