Industrial Food: Processed or Embalmed?

All food is processed unless one is eating it raw, and even then, if a vegetable is cut or sliced, one could still reasonably call it "processed." The word "processed" simply means that a set of actions were taken to alter a food in some way. It shouldn't mean that food is bad! For example, for as many industrial processes propelling the gears of our economy, there are just as many natural and domestic process operating in our bodies, homes, and ecosystems. Nevertheless, "processed" has become associated with the host of artificial and potentially dangerous measures used to preserve and manufacture food on an industrial scale. In reality, this food is no more processed than a home-made casserole using locally grown ingredients. How it differs is that it is "industrialized" or as some people used to call it "embalmed." I think these two words capture the reality of what we typically called "processed" food more so than that intentionally sterile world.

 

The history of the term "processed food" dates back to 1913 and the roots of industrialized cheese manufacturing in the United States. Small scale, artisnal cheese producers asked the Feds to label industrialized cheese "embalmed" cheese as the processes used to create industrialized cheese killed the living bacteria that makes artisinal cheese the rich and diverse product that it remains today. But the industrialized cheese lobby won it's bid for the term "processed cheese" instead. Since then, all industrialized foods have come to be known as "processed." (Further reading here.)

In a commitment to removing some of the Orwellian overtones of food production today, I suggest we all begin by calling processed food "indsutrialized" or, in the case of cheese "embalmed." Think about it: it's a lot harder to sell embalmed food than it is to sell processed.

Comments

[Debra]

Embalmed food is actually what we know as processed food! Yes, words are power and embalmed food tells the truth. Must have been the Fortune 500 food companies that came up with the contemporary meaning of the sterile, safe, sheep's clothing "processed foods" term.

How enlightening! Time to change my vocabulary. . .

[Debra Lewis]

I broke down a few weeks ago and bought "fat free cheese" wondering at the same time how there could possibly be such a thing and knowing damn good and well there wasn't and I was being duped. Broiled some on top of scissor-cut wheat tortilla and, my god, the stuff hardly melts. I tried again and cooked it normal time. Still, when I ate it, it hardly allowed me to chew it. Yuck! Who thinks up that crap?

[Debra Lewis]

The new phrase "embalmed foods" has enlivened my spirit! Today being Saturday and my one meal extravagent day for the week and it being summer, I was planning a Red Robin peppercorn burger, hold the cheese and bacon, then cut it in half immediately upon it getting to my table and destroying the second half with table salt. However, thanks to "embalmed food" I've already prepped my own quality and lean ground beef, shapped it, will grill it this afternoon and top with tons of fresh veggies, including a freshly picked tomato slice from my garden, and whole wheat bun. Yum! The whole "embalmed foods" phrase as just boosted my engines on this my extravagant eating day.