Jessilyn Cauble

NUTR 510
Lesson Plan
Processed Foods: Is it all unhealthy?
Goal: To educate college aged students and young adults, 18-25 years old, on the
necessity of processing foods and implementation in a healthful way.
Behavioral Objectives:
By the end of the class, participants will be able to:
1. Identify 3 processed foods that are good for you.
2. List 3 reasons why food is processed.
Teaching Aids:
1. Powerpoint
2. Scratch Paper
3. Granola
Handouts:
1. The Plus Side of Processed brochure by Jessilyn Cauble
INTRODUCTION
Processed meats a cancer risk? The dangers of high fructose corn syrup, it is
responsible for weight gain and the obesity epidemic. Avoid artificial sweeteners, they
spike sugar cravings and cause you to actually consume more. Whats hiding in your
food? The real thing preventing you from losing weight. The common thread between
these headlines and countless others? Processed foods. In modern times processed
food is touted as the enemy, the scapegoat for everything from weight gain and
uncontrolled appetite to the root cause behind several prevalent chronic diseases. But is
it really worth all the hype? Does one have to avoid processed food at all costs to lead a
healthy life and experience a plethora of quality years? The answer may surprise you.
Today, we will discuss the various stigmas that correlate with processed food and what
it actually means for a food to be processed, explore common processing methods, and
disclose several additives sources to successfully arm you with the tools necessary for
your next trip to the supermarket.
Questions to ask before the main content of presentation:
1. How many of you have either eggs or cereal as your go to breakfast meal? Or for
those in a time crunch, stop by the market and grab some sliced fruit and a
protein bar? Do you add milk to your morning coffee?
2. By a show of hands, how many of you believe processed foods are bad? Do you
make a conscious effort to avoid purchasing and consuming processed foods?

MAIN CONTENT
Slide #2
On the scratch paper provided, take a minute to list your opinion of processed foods.
What things come to mind? Do you agree with the previous headlines mentioned?
Allow a minute pause for attendees to think and write down their opinions
Perceptions of processed foods vary from each individual and can stem from past
experiences, the news, articles we read online, or conversation among peers. Often
times the belief is that processing foods comes at a high cost, easily outweighing any
perceived benefits.
What preconceived notions did you come up with?
Some common perceptions of processed foods are:
Their ability to damage smaller farms. People have the tendency to correlate
processed foods with large food companies, think along the lines of Monsanto,
industrial farms, and genetically modified seeds. This strikes up fear of cross
contamination and ending the natural food supply as we know it forever.
Processed food is an essential component to the increasing levels of obesity.
What the industry uses to create our food products is making us fat.
They have no nutritious value and are hardly considered food at all; merely a
forum composed of countless chemicals and additives disguised as a food
product.
The ingredients are responsible for disease, increasing food intolerances and
food allergies, and impacts children health. For example, in recent news research
was being conducted on the correlation between modern gluten and autism.
Create an environment in which personal contact between consumer and the
agricultural sector is obsolete. Building a relationship with who makes your food
is virtually impossible.
Processed food has become synonymous with packaged products high in sugar, high in
fat, and an entire days worth of sodium in a single serving. Processed food is a hot
topic that stirs much controversy but processed foods are necessary. They are to thank
for our abundant food supply that allows us to survive and flourish.
Slide #3
Preservation: Uses both thermal and non-thermal techniques processing
techniques to make food safe, minimize the number of microbes, and extend the
shelf life.
Safety: Food processing removes biological, chemical, and physical health
hazards. Chemical toxins are examples such as tannins in acorns or mercury in
fish. Physical hazards are pits or shells found in food items. Processing also
increases safety through regulations at the farm level such as good
manufacturing processes.

Quality of food product: Quality of food immediately begins to decline after it has
been picked or harvested via alteration in the foods color, texture, flavor,
appearance and nutritional value. Processing food enables the food industry to
slow down this process ensuring the highest quality is offered to the consumer.
Availability: Here in the United States the consumer is offered a wide variety of
products anytime they want them at all times during the year.
Convenience: Processed food has already been altered enabling limited
preparation before consumption. For example, when you purchase a frozen
entre, heat, and enjoy!
Sustainability: the food industry has a system in place that requires maximum
utilization of all raw materials to decrease post-harvest loss that results in
spoilage of products.
Health: The nutrition value of food is enhanced in several ways. For instance,
when a tomato is processed it actually increase the lycopene. Fortification, the
addition of nutrients to a product that were not originally there, and enrichment,
replacing those nutrients that were loss, has reduced the prevalence of vitamin
and mineral deficiencies and their correlating issues.
Improve quality of life for those on a food restricted diet because of disease or
intolerances. Gluten free products are everywhere for those with Celiac disease
and sugar free options are available for diabetics to name a few

Slide #4
Flip open your brochure to the icons of food products. You may recognize these from
the questions I just asked previously. Take a moment now to decide and circle which of
these you believe are processed.
Allow 15 seconds for attendees to circle their selection(s)
Slide #5
So what constitutes a processed food? What stipulations or guidelines are followed? In
essence what makes a food a processed food?
The various definitions of processed foods are: Processed foods have been altered
from their natural state. It is a deliberate change in a food from the point of origin to the
consumer. A conversion of raw plant and plant tissue into forms convenient and
practical to consume. The U.S. government expresses it as any food other than a raw
agricultural commodity. These all define a processed food. It can be as simple as
picking a fruit and transporting it to your supermarket to the addition of additives in a
laboratory.
Slide #6
There are several methods of processing used by the food industry that contribute to
our abundant, diverse, and wholesome food supply. Some of the common procedures
used to assure the safety of our food supply are:
Cooking: This method came about the same time fire was discovered. When
heated to 165 degrees it is a kill step because it kills the bacteria present.

Pasteurization: A thermal processing method used by the food industry by

heating the product to 175 to 195 degree. This lower order heating still may
contain microorganisms limiting the shelf life and is why products like milk and
eggs are kept in the refrigerator. The microbes that cause spoilage also survive
which explains why if kept after the expiration date milk spoils or becomes sour.
Freezing: This is a non-thermal process that prevents microbe growth by
solidifying water. Water activity is decreased once solidified and thus no longer
available for the use of microorganisms.
Dehydration: One of the oldest food preservation methods via moisture removal.
Foods can be dried by the sun, a dehydrator, through drum drying, or spray
drying.
Canning: Another thermal processing treatment in which food is held at 250
degrees for several minutes. Canning is a two-fold method because the heating
inactivates microbes and once sealed the removal of oxygen from within the can
prevents microbial growth.
Fermentation: A process that uses the help of yeast and bacteria to convert sugar
molecules into acids, alcohols, and gas.

Slide #7
Now look back at the items you selected. After this it may not surprise you that all of
them are in fact processed. The milk is pasteurized and homogenized, the frozen
vegetables subject to freezing, the dried fruits dehydrated, the beans are canned, and
the Greek yogurt through fermentation. In this sense, processed foods can be so much
more than the calorie dense, empty calories that come in a package.
So at this point I may have convinced you that some processing is okay. Food can still
be nutritious and good for you but you may be asking yourself what about all that stuff
that comes in packages, are shelf stable, and last longer that a couple days without
going bad?
Slide #8
We have all been exposed to products with complex ingredient lists reading more along
the lines of scientific compounds than identifiable food items. Have you heard the
warning if you cant pronounce it, dont eat it, a phrase used to deter us from
consuming anything unnatural. But is this always the case? You may be surprised to
learn that these complex names often stem from natural sources. If you turn to the back
of the brochure I have created a matching activity for you. On the top I have a list of
common additives and on the under picture icon of their sources. You can follow along
as we go over common additives from natural sources and their purpose.
Calcium propionate or propionate acid. Found commonly in baked goods and is
added as an antimicrobial. It inhibits growth of bacteria. This is a compound
found naturally in strawberries, apples, and cheese.
Sugar. Often disguised as a laundry list of other names. When consumed an
excess is harmful but is natural, present in nature. Found in both sugar cane and
sugar beets displays antimicrobial properties in a food system.

Benzoates or sodium benzoate. An antifungal added to food products to kill

fungus is a natural component of cranberries.
Ascorbic acid and acetyl tocopherol. Vitamin C and E, powerful antioxidants,
inhibit oxidation by air and bind with free radicals produced from metabolic
processes.
Acetic acid (vinegar), malic acid (apples), tartaric acid (grapes) for acidification.
Intentionally adjust the level of the acidity in food to a pH below 4.6
Show answers. Even packaged products can be health food. Some additives can be
deceiving, seemingly harmful when in reality the component exists in nature and
serves a beneficial purpose. So now lets apply this to a real world example.
Slide #9
You are walking through the grocery store and want to buy granola. Because you are
health conscious you always look at the nutrition facts panel and most importantly
the ingredient list. Here is the product, now the question is would you buy it?
Take a moment, do any of these additives look familiar? Identify those we just went
over that are present, can you remember their purpose?
With this new knowledge hopefully you feel better equipped to decipher a food label
and confident to select a healthy option when conquering the food aisles of your
supermarket.
Now look at the cliff bar on your desk (the right picture) what additives can you
identify?
Review:
Ask participants to:
1. Identify 3 processed foods that are good for you.
2. List 3 reasons food are processed.
Independent Practice
Next time you go to the supermarket wander through the aisles and find 2 products
that contain at least one or more of the additives we discussed among the
ingredients list. Also, for each product you purchase take notice of the processing
methods necessary to get that product to you safely on the store shelves of your
grocery store.
Conclusion
As society in the United States as a whole becomes more health conscious fresh,
local, and farm to table become the sought after trends. People attempt to demonize
large food companies and anything that comes in a package not realizing that the
majority of processing is done to provide consumers with a bountiful and safe food
supply. Without processed foods we would no longer have the privilege of enjoying a
fresh apple year around, make an omelet or egg scramble without worrying about
salmonella and other pathogens, or grab a quick healthy snack of fresh cut fruit
packaged and ready to eat when in a rush. Rather than falling victim to the hype,
take the lesson learned today, apply it, and embrace the plus side of processed.