Comminution is the reduction of a food to minute particles or fragments — grinding, milling, mincing, chopping, and homogenizing all belong to it. Particle size governs so much: extraction rates, cooking times, texture, mouthfeel, and even nutrient bioavailability. Flour milling is comminution at its most refined; sausage manufacture depends on controlled chopping for bind and bite. But every fracture creates fresh surface area for oxidation and microbial attack, which is why comminuted meats are more perishable than whole cuts and why mills manage heat and dust with care.