About the Food Domain: Processors

Processors
Processors start with raw animal, plant or marine items and change them into edible products by using labor, machinery, energy and scientific knowledge. Various processes are used to convert relatively bulky, perishable, and typically inedible food materials into ultimately more useful, concentrated, shelf-stable, and palatable foods or potable (fit to drink) beverages. Processors turn steers into meat, wheat into flour, soybeans into oil, and tuna into canned tuna. They also package fruits, vegetables and other food products.

Many processors sell their finished products to food manufacturers that use them to make more complicated consumer products. For instance, the flour produced by food processors is sold to manufacturers that use the flour to make cookies. Some processors sell their finished products directly to wholesalers, retailers or consumers. Processors that skin and cut carrots into smaller, ready-to-eat carrots purchase them from commodity handlers or producers, process the carrots and then sell the finished product to wholesalers and retailers. The carrot, once processed, is ready to eat, therefore, it does not require further manufacturing.

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