What does the term "enriched" indicate regarding food processing?

The term "enriched" refers specifically to a food processing practice where nutrients that were lost during processing are added back to the food. This is often done to improve the nutritional value of the food, which can be diminished through methods like milling or refining. For example, in the case of white bread, the refining process removes the bran and germ, which contain many vitamins and minerals. By enriching the flour used to make the bread, manufacturers add back certain nutrients like iron and B vitamins that may have been removed during processing.

This concept is distinct from simply adding nutrients that were not originally present, which would fall under fortification or enrichment with different nutrients. Additionally, terms like "fortified" usually imply that extra nutrients have been added beyond those that were lost, while "enriched" denotes a restoration process.