Consumers spend less of their food budget on meat, eggs and dairy, and more of their food budget on higher value-added foods and cereal and bakery products. Higher value-added foods include prepared foods, nonalcoholic beverages, table spreads, and confectionery products. The Bureau of the Census calculates value-added by value of industry shipments less the cost of materials, supplies, containers, fuel, electricity, and contract work. Fossil fuels are also used, with natural gas being the most widely used. The food industry uses energy for food preservation, safe and convenient packaging, and storage.
Food preservation is dependent on strict temperature controls.
Safe and convenient packaging is extremely important in food manufacturing and is also energy intensive. The newest packaging techniques require aseptic techniques and electro-chemical changes. Proper storage is also energy dependent. Freezing and drying are the most crucial methods of food storage. Freezing operations require a large portion of electricity used by industries.