I don't get the concerns around processed food. If I buy a bunch of apples and make apply jam (adding "chemicals") it's apparently bad now? Or if I process cucumbers into pickles?
Correct. So instead of saying veganism, we should instead be saying real/fresh food... at least, based on this article. Not saying you can't be vegan, just that this article isn't saying that.
Eliminate the animals and what you are left is plants. Simple.