November 9, 2004 

While convenience foods are becoming more popular with time-stressed urbanites, the consumption of processed foods is sometimes accompanied by guilt as consumers feel they may be trading nutrition and safety for convenience. However processed foods are not necessarily less nutritious or safe compared to raw foods, and in some cases, may be safer and more nutritious...

Walk down the supermarket aisle or even the displays at a neighbourhood grocery store and you will be greeted with rows upon rows of convenience foods that require a minimum of preparation and cooking. From pre-cut salads, sometimes with dressing included, to frozen entrees and meals in a can, anyone pressed for time can whip up a hearty meal in a jiffy. Indeed according to the World Trade Organisation, developing countries in Asia like China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are showing upward trends in the market for processed foods - attesting to the popularity of these foods. 

However while consumers love the convenience of processed foods, the consumption of these foods is often accompanied by a sense of guilt as consumers feel they may be trading nutrition and safety for time and convenience. In many cases, the guilt is unfounded as it is possible to maintain a healthy diet that consists of both raw and processed foods.

Why Process?

Processed foods may be as simple a case of minimal processing - where fruits and vegetables are washed, cut and packed in ready to eat portions - or may be foods that undergo extensive processing into cooked meals that just have to be heated before they are consumed. Frozen entrees, canned meats and sauces, instant noodles, frozen fruit and vegetables, and fish sauce are just some examples of the many processed foods that have become established in the daily diet.

While consumers see processing as a benefit mainly for its convenience, food processing actually makes many foods that we may otherwise not eat, available and palatable. For example, many of us probably wouldn't have eaten baked beans if they didn't come cooked and canned. Processed foods like frozen entrees give consumers a chance to try out new foods, adding variety to their diet.

Freezing and canning enables seasonal fruits and vegetables to be available all year round all over the world. Processing also extends the shelf life of some foods and protects other types of foods from being contaminated by microbes that cause food poisoning. Examples of foods that are made safer or have a longer shelf-life through processing are UHT milk and canned tuna.

Processing of some foods actually makes them more nutritious. For example, lycopene - the cancer-fighting component in tomatoes - is more available to the human body in the form of tomato paste or ketchup compared to raw tomatoes. Other processed foods may be fortified to include certain vitamins and minerals that are not as abundant in unprocessed foods. Some examples are orange juice fortified with vitamin C and cereals fortified with folate. 

In addition, because frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are processed soon after harvest, they retain more of their vitamins and minerals than raw fruits and vegetables that are shipped over long distances and lose their nutrients over time - no matter how carefully they are stored and transported. In addition, eating processed fruits and vegetables help many time-pressed consumers to get their minimum of 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day without having to spend time washing, peeling, cutting and cooking them.

Additives for a Reason

Critics of processed foods point to the additives sometimes used in these foods,  as a reason to avoid them. However, reputable food manufacturers use only additives that have been approved for food use in amounts with strict limits. In almost all the countries in Asian, the usage of food additives are regulated by food regulating agencies or health ministries departments.

According to Dr Rosario Arim of the Philippines' Food and Nutrition Research Institute, "processed foods in the Philippines are generally safe for consumption." Dr Sushila Chang, director of the School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology at Singapore's Ngee Ann Polytechnic concurs. "Food additives used in processed foods are vetted by government agencies and must be used in amounts not exceeding the limits set for safety," she says.

Furthermore, additives are added to processed foods for a particular purpose. Preservatives are not "poisons" as commonly assumed, but rather ingredients that help to prevent or reduce the growth of harmful microbes that may cause food poisoning or reduce the shelf-life of a product. For example, antioxidants are added to oils to slow or even stop the chemical process that would otherwise result in the oil rapidly becoming rancid.

Another example of the benefits of food preservatives highlighted by Dr Arim is the use of additives to protect many food ingredients from fungal infection which can lead to the contamination of the food by mycotoxins. The micro-organisms that produce mycotoxins thrive in warm humid conditions on foods such as corn, peanuts and coconut and if consumed at high levels can trigger serious illness such as hepatitis and meningitis. "Food additives added to processed foods prevent or reduce the growth of these harmful microbes and make food a lot safer for human consumption," she says.

Other additives are added to food to enhance the taste, texture or appeal of foods, which contribute to the enjoyment of eating.

Also while many food additives are chemical-based, more and more food additives are derived from natural sources or are derived from natural substances. Examples of natural-based additives are thickening agents from seaweed, antioxidants like tocopherols (converted to vitamin E by the body) and carotenoids (converted to vitamin A by the body), and acidifying agents like tartaric acid from fruit.

However, like all other foods, processed foods should be consumed in moderation and should form part of a varied diet that is based on plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Shop smart

In many Asian countries, the law requires manufacturers to clearly label the ingredients used in processed foods. "To be safe, buy only products that label the product clearly; list the ingredients; and the name and address of the manufacturer," says Dr Chang. "Reputable producers adhere to the law and will not leave out vital information that enables the relevant authorities to check on their products."

Ingredient lists as well as nutritional information also provide shoppers with useful information. Be a discriminate shopper and choose brands or variants that contain less salt, less or no saturated fat or are made of whole grains instead of white flour.

The bottom-line is, you may not always have the time to prepare a meal from scratch but health and nutrition does not need to be compromised with convenience foods.