Understanding Food Processing

Event Description

Food has been processed for much longer than we think. For centuries, the purpose of food processing was to make food edible, safe to consume, and durable.  More recently, food processing has introduced innovation to improve the environmental sustainability of products, increase the availability and affordability of products, meet new societal models and add variety to an offer that meets everybody’s dietary needs and preferences. 

The event "Understanding Food Processing", hosted and chaired by MEPs Stefan Köhler, Biljana Borzan and Dario Nardella, will discuss the role of food processing in modern food systems and will delve into the ongoing debate surrounding the so-called “ultra-processed food”, looking at their impact on the agri-food value chain – from farmers to consumers, on health, and on the environment. By bringing together experts from different fields, the event seeks to foster a balanced and informed discussion on the following key points: 

• Introduction to food processing: historical evolution, technological advancements and the role of innovation in food processing. 

• Impact of food processing and the debate on “ultra-processed food” on the agri-food value chain: impact on farmers, impact on consumers, affordability and convenience of food, consumer trust in food processing, public perception of processed food, processed food for specific dietary needs. 

• Impact of food processing and the debate on “ultra-processed food” on health and environment: links between ultra-processed foods and health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, fortification and enrichment of foods to address nutritional deficiencies, potential loss of essential nutrients during processing, use of additives for food reformulation, food waste prevention and sustainable production practices. 

Agenda

Moderator: Maria Teresa Scardigli, Managing Director, Kellen Europe 

12h30 - 12h35 Opening remarks by MEPs Stefan Köhler, Biljana Borzan, and Dario Nardella  

12h35 - 12h50 Setting scene  

• Antonella Rossetti, Member of Christophe Hansen’s Cabinet, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food  

12h50 - 13h15 Impact of food processing and the debate on “ultra-processed food” on the agri-food value chain  

• Laura Fernandez, Director General, EUFIC 

• Matteo Mantovani, Food Policy Advisor, CNA Bruxelles Confederation of Italian micro and small enterprises) representing 60.000 enterprises in the food sector 

• Sara Lamonaca, Director Consumer Information, Nutrition & Health, FoodDrinkEurope  

• Marco Pierani, Director Public Affairs & Media Relations, EuroConsumers 

13h15 - 13h40 Relationship between food processing and the debate on “ultra-processed food” on health & environment   

• Prof. Mathilde Touvier, Head of the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Sorbonne Paris Nord. Principal investigator of the NutriNet-Santé cohort 

• Prof. Vincenzo Fogliano, Full professor & AMS PI Food Quality & Design Wageningen University & Research   

13h40 - 13h45 Closing remarks by MEPs Stefan Köhler, Biljana Borzan, and Dario Nardella 

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