what is food science essay

What is Food Science?

Food Science is a convenient name used to describe the application of scientific principles to create and maintain a wholesome food supply.

“Just as society has evolved over time, our food system as also evolved over centuries into a global system of immense size and complexity. The commitment of food science and technology professionals to advancing the science of food, ensuring a safe and abundant food supply, and contributing to healthier people everywhere is integral to that evolution. Food scientists and technologists are versatile, interdisciplinary, and collaborative practitioners in a profession at the crossroads of scientific and technological developments. As the food system has drastically changed, from one centered around family food production on individual farms and food preservation to the modern system of today, most people are not connected to their food nor are they familiar with agricultural production and food manufacturing designed for better food safety and quality.”

“Feeding the World Today and Tomorrow: The Importance of Food Science and Technology”; John D. Foloros, Rosetta Newsome, William Fisher; from Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety; 2010

Food Science has given us

frozen foods
canned foods
microwave meals
milk which keeps
nutritious new foods
more easily prepared traditional foods
above all, VARIETY in our diets.

The Food Scientist helps supply this bounty by learning to apply a wide range of scientific knowledge to maintain a high quality, abundant food supply. Food Science allows us to make the best use of our food resources and minimize waste.

Most food materials are of biological origin. How they behave in harvesting, processing, distribution, storage and preparation is a complex problem. Full awareness of all important aspects of the problem requires broad-based training.

To be a Food Scientist and help handle the world's food supply to maximum advantage, you need some familiarity with

Microbiology
Biochemistry
Engineering
Some specialized Statistics.

With this special training in the applied Food Science, many exciting and productive careers with a wide range of employment opportunities exist for the trained professional, such as

Product Development Specialist
Sensory Scientist
Quality Control Specialist
Technical Sales Representative

UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology Mission Statement

The mission of the department is to generate knowledge about foods through research, and to apply and disseminate knowledge through teaching and outreach, with the goal of ensuring the availability of safe, nutritious, appealing food, with minimum environmental impact, for the benefit of all people.

Food Science at McGill University
Food Science Program Accreditation
Career/Employment opportunities
Undergraduate programs
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Graduate studies
Staff and research
McGill IR Group
Food Safety and Quality Program
High Pressure & Microwave Processing
Laboratory Safety Manual
Food Science Association (FSA)
Food Science links
Positions available

What is Food Science?

Food science & agricultural chemistry at a glance.

Food Science is still a relatively new and growing discipline, brought about mainly as a response to the social changes taking place in North America and other parts of the developed world. The food industry, which originally provided only primary products for final preparation in the home, finds itself responding to market demands for more refined, sophisticated, and convenient products. The demand for easy to prepare, convenience foods, poses major scientific and technological challenges which cannot be met without highly trained scientists capable of understanding the complex chemistry/biochemistry of food systems and knowledge of the methods to preserve them. This increased reliance of society on ready-to-eat foods has led to greater responsibility for processors in terms of quality, safety and nutrition. In order to ensure high quality and competitive products, scientific principles and new technologies are being applied to food manufacturing and the body of knowledge required has become that discipline called Food Science.

Department and University Information

Department of food science and agricultural chemistry.

Essay on Food and Nutrition

Students are often asked to write an essay on Food and Nutrition in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Food and Nutrition

Importance of food and nutrition.

Food and nutrition are essential for life. They provide the energy we need to grow, work, play, think, and learn.

The Role of Food

Food is much more than just fuel. It contains vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, which our body needs to function correctly.

Nutrition and Health

Nutrition is about how food affects our health. A balanced diet helps to maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and promotes overall well-being.

In conclusion, food and nutrition are vital for our health and well-being. It’s important to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy.

250 Words Essay on Food and Nutrition

Introduction to food and nutrition, the role of nutrients.

Nutrients are classified into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, are needed in large amounts and provide the energy necessary for daily activities. Micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, are required in smaller quantities but are crucial for various physiological functions like immune response and bone health.

Food Choices and Health

Our food choices significantly impact our health. A balanced diet comprising all nutrients in appropriate proportions promotes good health and helps prevent diseases. Conversely, unhealthy eating habits can lead to conditions like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. The concept of ‘food as medicine’ is gaining traction, emphasizing the therapeutic potential of natural foods.

Nutrition Science and Society

The science of nutrition has societal implications. It can guide public health policies, influence food production practices, and shape societal attitudes towards food and health. Nutrition education can empower individuals to make informed food choices, thereby promoting public health at large.

In conclusion, food and nutrition are intertwined aspects of health. Understanding their interplay can help us make informed dietary choices, promoting overall wellbeing and preventing disease. The study of nutrition is not merely a biological or chemical analysis but a comprehensive exploration of how our food choices shape our health and society.

500 Words Essay on Food and Nutrition

Food and nutrition are fundamental aspects of our lives that influence our health, wellness, and longevity. They are interconnected fields of study that examine the relationship between diet, health, and disease. Nutrition focuses on how dietary intake impacts health, while food science explores the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food.

The Importance of Balanced Nutrition

Food quality and nutritional value.

The quality of the food we consume significantly impacts its nutritional value. Highly processed foods, while convenient and often tasty, frequently contain high levels of sugars, salts, and unhealthy fats. These can lead to health issues like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. On the other hand, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are nutrient-dense and promote good health.

Role of Diet in Disease Prevention

There’s a growing body of evidence linking diet and disease. High intake of saturated and trans fats, sugars, and sodium is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases. Conversely, diets rich in fiber, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats can help prevent conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Furthermore, certain nutrients have specific protective effects. For instance, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables can neutralize harmful free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Nutrition and Sustainability

Conclusion: the future of food and nutrition.

In the future, personalized nutrition, based on individual genetic makeup, lifestyle, and gut microbiome, may play a significant role in health management. Additionally, innovative food technologies like cellular agriculture could provide sustainable and ethical food sources. As we continue to unravel the complexities of food and nutrition, it’s clear that they will remain central to our health and well-being. This underscores the importance of education in these fields, encouraging informed dietary choices and fostering a healthier society.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

What Is Food Science?

First Online: 01 January 2008

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Richard W. Hartel 3 &
AnnaKate Hartel 4

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If you don’t finish your dinner, you’ll go to bed hungry! Parents have it right, you have to eat. Even before our forefathers crawled out of the ocean, food was an important part of life. Back then, one of our daily battles was finding the food we needed to survive, at least that is when we weren’t fending off bigger predators who, in turn, wanted to make a meal out of us. Like the fish in the proverbial food chain, we were looking for smaller fish to catch while the bigger ones were chasing our tails.

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Hartel, R.W., Hartel, A. (2008). What Is Food Science?. In: Food Bites. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-75845-9_1

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457 Food Essay Topics & Research Questions to Write about

Are you looking for good topics about food? Luckily, there are so many food topics you can research! You can focus on food safety, the link between nutrition and health, food insecurity, national cuisines, food waste in supply chains, food processing technologies, and many more. Check this list of the most exciting food research questions and titles!

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Porter’s Five Forces Analysis of the Food and Beverage Industry
Eating Home-Cooked Food Is Essential
The Negative Effects of Fast Food: Essay Example
Food Technology Importance in Modern Days
Sustainable Food Systems, Nutrition
Target Audience of Fast Food Restaurants’ Web Sites
Food Waste Management The paper aims at explaining the issue of food waste and describing approaches to the reduction of this problem.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Biotechnology in Improving the Nutritive Value of Foods In this essay, the author explores the advantages and disadvantages of biotechnology with an emphasis on benefits and potential harm to mankind.
Italy’s Food: Traditional Italian Food Recipes Italian cuisine is famous around the world for its delicious and healthy food. It includes thousands of varieties of recipes for different dishes with various ingredients.
Healthy Multicultural Food: Product SWOT Analysis The chosen product is healthy multicultural food, which should be provided to the customers of Active Retirement nursing home.
Kenya, Its Tourist Attractions and Food Culture Kenya is one of the most beautiful African countries I have ever been. I am always thrilled to visit it. However, it has taken some time since I was there.
Causes and Effects of Fast-Food Addiction Studies show that those who frequently eat fast food have an increased risk of progressing from simple consumption to addiction.
Food Shortage Situation Overview The connections and relationship between population and food shortage transcend all areas of human life and as such encompasses various aspects of demands that support human life.
The Food Prices Issue and Its Impacts on the Industry The challenge of increasing food prices is relevant to the culinary, hospitality, and food industries because it significantly affects food availability and quality.
Food Truck Market Analysis Example Food truck business has high chances of becoming popular because food industry is one of the kinds of businesses that never go out of fashion.
Fast-Food Restaurants’ Popularity and Its Causes Majority of people in the United States have resorted to fast food restaurants, especially college students who are of the view that these restaurants save a lot of time.
Unhealthy Food Culture and Obesity Unhealthy food culture plays a significant role in developing health-related diseases, including its contribution to obesity.
Food Security: The Impact of Climate Change Since climate change affects the natural world, it is evident that it poses particular challenges for food security in the future.
Food and Drink Industry’s Innovation and Barriers The paper provides the reasons that influence the need to innovate in the industry and the barriers that stop innovation from taking place.
History of Ketchup and Its Role in Foods Tomato ketchup is a popular addition to a variety of dishes which acts as a sauce and goes well with all food.
Food in Korean Culture: Describing Korean Cuisine Korean citizens believe that food has medicinal properties that improve a person’s emotional, psychological, and mental well-being.
Indian Culture Examined Through Street Food A fondness of India’s rich culture, combined with a desire to innovate and adapt with the times are all present in the Curry Up Now restaurant and Indian street food as a whole.
Food Safety Issues in Modern Agriculture According to the United Nations Asian and Pacific Center for Agricultural Engineering and Machinery, an upsurge in international trade on agricultural products has made food safety a major concern.
Healthy Food: the Impact of the Vegetarian Diet In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards vegetarianism in societal dietary choices. In the modern world, vegetarians can uphold the nutritional needs of the body.
Food Additives There are three types of food additives, cosmetic food additives, preservatives and the processing aids of food.
McDonald’s and Its Decline & Crisis Due to the Healthy Food Trend The trend for healthy eating was born not so long ago but continues to cover more and more segments of the population around the world.
Food Truck Business Strategy, Resources, Management The paper describes the food truck business’s goals and objectives, management functions, decision-making process, organizational structure, etc.
Fast-Food Industry’s Market Place and Environment The fast-food industry is experiencing a revenue of over $15 billion growth a year, and the future growth rate at an average of 2.7%.
Food Processing: Principles and Controversies Food processing is a currently applied trend to turn fresh food into different food products through such methods as washing, pasteurizing, freezing, cooking, or packaging.
Food Safety and Hazards Manufacturers are obligated to maintain safe control measures to ensure products are fit for human consumption.
Food Science: How to Make Butter Fresh milk is made up of a combination of milk and cream; since the cream is less thick than the milk, it separates and rises to the top, where it may be scrapped.
Super Greens Organic Food Restaurant’s Business Plan ‘Super Greens’ restaurant is a new medium-sized restaurant to be located in a busy locality of Westminster in the neighbourhood of some aristocratic areas.
Aspects of Muslim Food Culture Islam has many rules related to food. One of the most significant rules in Islam is the restriction on the consumption of pork.
The Six Major Elements of a Food Safety Plan (FSP) A Food Safety Plan (FSP) is a way that identifies and prevents safety hazards from occurring during and after food production, this paper is going to discuss FSP’s major elements.
Food Culture: Doughnut’s History, Marketing and Sociology A doughnut, or as it is often called donut, is a kind of fried dough baked or pastry meal. The doughnut has become well-known and beloved in numerous countries and cooked in an assorted model.
McDonalds Fast Food Company Organizational Change This paper attempts to explicitly review the successful implementation of the proposed change that involves improving the performance of the McDonalds Company and enhancing its customer focus.
The “Food Inc.” Documentary by Robert Kenner In his film “Food Inc.”, documentary film producer Robert Kenner explores how massive businesses have monopolized every part of the food supply chain in the United States.
Nutrients: The Distribution in the Food Groups This essay associates nutrients to their specific food groups justify their nutritional composition and explains their significance.
“Maple Leaf Foods”: Company’s Issues and Their Management Maple Leaf Foods faces the issue of the lack of a sustainable vision due to poor leadership and contamination of products, adversely affecting consumers’ health.
Chick-fil-A Fast-Food Network Brand Analysis Based on customer demographic data, the paper analyzes the Chick-fil-A fast-food network and compares some data to compile an accurate picture of people’s preferences.
Evolution of Food Photography: From Daguerreotypes to Digital Storytelling Photos of food have been taken, shared, and appreciated for decades, from ambrosia salads in the 1970s to the current trend of upside-down acai bowls and elaborate latte art.
The Indigenous Food Sovereignty Concept The indigenous food sovereignty concept is broad in essence, and it perceives food as integrating all aspects of existence – mental, spiritual, cultural, and intellectual.
McDonald’s: The Most Popular Fast-Food Restaurant McDonald’s is one of the most popular fast-food restaurants, and its success is defined by compliance with the needs of the present-day business world.
Food Truck Business’s SWOT Analysis The Food Truck company operates in the central business district of Portland, the area where the food delivery industry is very well developed.
Food Service Facilities Design: Food Preparation The food service facility design in a mall in Singapore is based on providing customers with various dining options, including fast food, and casual dining.
The Age of “Nutritionism”: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan Michael Pollan, an investigative journalist, wrote the book In Defense of Food to educate on what humans should consume to be healthy.
Are Fast Food Restaurants to Blame for Obesity?
Are Genetically Modified Food Safe for Consumption?
Are the Nutrition Charts on Food Packages Accurate?
What Are Issues on Food Around the World?
What Is It Called When You Have Food Issues?
Are You Harming Your Family by the Food You Are Preparing?
Can Organic Farmers Produce Enough Food to Feed the World?
What Are the Six Major Threats to Food Security?
What Are the Four Major Problems That Affect the World’s Food Needs?
Could Biotechnology Solve Food Shortage Problem?
Does Dehydration Reduce the Nutrient Value in Quality of the Food?
What Are Some Challenges to Food Production?
Does Fast Food Have a Possible Connection With Obesity?
How Can We Solve Food Supply Problems?
How Did Jollibee Build Its Position in the Philippine Fast Food Industry?
What Are Four Issues Related to Food Production?
How Does America Solve Food Deserts?
What Are the Seven Challenges to Food Safety?
How Does Whole Food Build Human and Social Capital?
What Is the Most Important Food Safety Issue?
Should Fast Food Advertising Be Banned?
What Are the Six Food Borne Diseases?
What Are the Ten Main Reasons for Food Poisoning?
Should Fast Food Chains Be to Blame for Childhood Obesity?
Should Fast Food Only Be Sold to People Eighteen and Older?
Should New Zealand Allow Genetically Modified Food?
Should People Abandon Their Favorite Food and Stay Healthy?
What Are Three Causes of Food Contamination?
Were the Salem Witch Trials Spurred by Food Poisoning?
Japan’s Food Patterns and Nutrition Habits The most commonly consumed foods among the Japanese people include sushi and sashimi, ramen, Tempura, Kare-raisu (curry rice), and okonomiyaki.
Wendy’s Fast Food Franchise in the Chinese Market Because of the strong presence that KFC and McDonald’s already have in the Chinese market, firms such as Wendy’s have to design a unique product.
McDonald’s Company: The Flawed Fast Food Tax McDonalds is one of the world’s leading fast food restaurants serving more than 57 million customers daily with branches all over the major cities.
National Food Products Company: Marketing Segmentation NFPC has gained the reputation of a company that has been striving in the UAE market quite successfully by delivering essential products such as milk, water, plastic carriers.
Organic Food Market Trends Food retailers replaced farmers and whole food retailers as the main retailers of organic food. Higher production costs is the only factor to the higher organic food prices.
Financial Projections for Entrepreneurship in Food Industry Running a restaurant, especially in the area known for its high competition rates among the local food production companies, particularly, the fast food industries, is not an easy task.
A Problem of Food Waste and Its Solutions Food waste draws a lot of interest from global policymakers as well as various organizations and scholars – it continues to grow despite the looming resource depletion.
Agriculture and Food in Ancient Greece The paper states that agricultural practices and goods from Greece extended to neighboring countries in the Mediterranean as the dominance increased.
Right to Food as a Fundamental Right Right to food is an important human right issue today. Advocates for the right to food use the phrase “Food first” to show the importance of availability to food above other priorities.
The Food Choices Movie Analysis The main thesis of the movie, ‘Food Choices,’ is that a plant-based diet is the most nutritious, and people should not consume animal products.
Role of Food in Marquez’ “One Hundred Years of Solitude“ and Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate” Laura Esquivel was born and raised in Mexico and may have written this novel with the hope of portraying to her readers some Spanish background and history.
The Meat Inspection and Food Safety Issues The safety of the food that people consume must be carefully checked before it hits the shelves. However, the inspection only checks some pieces of meat that enter the stores.
Solutions for Food and Water Security Issue With many nations encountering food and water security problems, the consequences of such events have become global, giving rise to multiple outcomes this insecurity.
Food and Water Security Management The purpose of this article is to evaluate the current methodologies for addressing food and water security issues and propose sustainable solutions based on scholarly evidence.
Healthy Food Advertising: Nutrient Content Advertising is certainly a major driver for the success of a business. It is important to mention that healthy foods correlate with overall well-being, both physical and mental.
Impact of Food Waste and Water Use on Earth The paper explores how food waste and water use affect the food system and how agriculture affects the environment.
The Food Chain: Groups and Functions Producers, consumers, and decomposers are the three groups of organisms that comprise a food chain in an ecosystem.
Food-Borne Salmonella Epidemiologic Triad Diseases emerging in the population do not occur randomly but usually have prerequisites and conditions for development.
Researching Food Service in Hospital Combining medical and gustatory qualities in hospital food is one of the most common difficulties in the healthcare sector worldwide.
Discussion of Food Safety Issues The paper discusses food tampering and bioterrorism are those issues that can result in fundamental problems in food safety area.
Food Poisoning Case at Air China Flight On October 6, 2013, nearly 50 passengers on an Air China flight that was bound for Beijing fell ill with symptoms such as vomiting, stomachaches and diarrhea.
Feasibility Plan for E-Commerce of Food Delivery The use of cell phone innovation can be viewed as one of the creative approaches to assist organizations in improving their business execution in the global market.
Indian Culture and Food in the Raaga Restaurant Before visiting Raaga, a restaurant of Indian cuisine, I tried to consider what I knew about this culture and whether I would eat what I would be served.
Food Safety and Hygiene Practices This article provides an informative overview of food safety and hygiene practices, covering various aspects of the topic that are important to consider.
Nutrients in Different Food Groups The essay explains the variety of nutrients in different food groups, the reasons for these variations, and the health benefits associated with the nutrients.
McDonald’s: How Strategic Choices Shape Fast Food Supremacy This paper will focus on McDonald’s corporation’s business and corporate-level strategies, competitive environment, and market cycles.
The Environmental Impacts of the Food and Hospitality Industry The food wastage issue in the food and hospitality industry in Australia remains to be consciously considered as it may adversely affect the environment.
Hospitality Management: Food and Beverage Management A person is preparing for their last high school exam and looking forward to a career in hospitality management, which is currently one of the best in the field.
The Importance of Nutritional Labeling on Packaged Food It is essential to embrace nutritional labeling on packaged food, as they are meant to educate consumers about the products and their content.
A Plan for Receiving and Handling of Food Products Based on HACCP HACCP system expects physical, biological, or chemical dangers selected and managed in a particular section of the process.
“Women, Food, and Learning” by Claudia Setzer Setzer comments on the issues of ethnicity and gender in her exploration of the Syrophoenician woman’s representation in the Bible.
The Trends of Natural and Organic Foods Organic food is primarily intended to appeal to financially well-off people who can afford to spend more money on food in exchange for its perceived superior quality.
Availability of Healthy Food Food security and accessibility are now seen as ensuring that all members of society have physical and economic access to food that is safe.
Powerade Food Myth Buster: Investigating Health Claims Powerade makes a statement on the bottle that it helps replenish four electrolytes lost in sweat. Powerade food myth buster aims to investigate its health claims from ingredients.
Food Behaviors Among Mexicans and South Americans People from diverse backgrounds eat different foods influenced by factors such as geographical location, religion, family values, and beliefs about health.
Food Insecurity in the United States Food insecurity is one of the most pressing global problems that is also relevant for the United States today.
Fast Food Popularity in America: Cause and Effect The popularity of fast food affects Americans in many ways, but the threats of obesity, chronic diseases, and unstable immunity remain critical effects.
The Use of Low Fat Food This short essay will demonstrate that many of the foods we are eating today are in reality not that low in fat as they claim.
Food and Family in the Hispanic Culture The notion of family is crucial to the Hispanic culture due to its encouraging idea of interdependence and belonging. The food became an integral part of family gatherings.
Proposal for Providing Healthier Food Choices for Elementary Students This paper describes the necessity of having a properly balanced diet, and execute healthy exercising patterns in our routines, along with our children.

If you need a good idea for your argumentative essay, check out some food related topics to debate:

Should fast food be regulated?
Should GMO labeling be mandatory?
Is there a need for stricter regulation of food advertising?
The link between processed food and obesity.
The role of meat consumption in climate change.
The pros and cons in functional foods.
Can cities become self-sufficient in food production?
Why should we promote Meatless Mondays?
Are food additives and preservatives evil?
The impact of food packaging on plastic pollution.
Product Design in Food Industry: A McDonald’s Case Article Critique In “Product Design in Food Industry – A McDonald’s Case,” authors consider McDonald’s recent launch of new products along with some of the aspects of its production process and innovativeness.
Whole Foods Market’s Strategic Position and Goals Whole Foods Market is an American company specialized in foods without artificial hydrogenated fats, colors, flavors, and sweeteners.
Food Sustainability Assessment Food sustainability is the ability to produce enough food to meet the current population’s needs without damaging the resources that future generations will need to survive.
The Food Truck Business Models Development This paper examines the following models for the food truck business: operating model, value model, service model, experience model, cost model, and revenue model.
Human Geography: Food Insecurity The problem of food insecurity is a significant bother of humankind. Various international organizations were created to address the matter.
Junk Food and Children’s Obesity Eating junk foods on a regular basis causes weight gain and for one in five Americans, obesity, is a major health concern though no one seems to be sounding the alarm.
First in Show Pet Foods: Case Analysis First in Show Pet Foods is among the newest frozen dog food companies, which can be considered to be a first-mover in the given market.
Fast Food Chain Locations, Non-Chain Restaurants and Bars As discussed in prior sections of the report, the competition for Moma Monaz can be distinguished into three categories: fast food chain locations, non-chain restaurants, and bars.
Working in a Food Pantry Hunger is a highly pervasive social problem around the globe. It is required that authorities all over design and implement policies that will solve the problem.
Food and Drug Administration History The paper provides a brief introduction, background, and history of the FDA and the ways in which it operates, and the practices implemented.
“Fast Food Nation” the Book by Eric Schlosser In his book Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser argues that fast food has greatly influenced American society and culture.
Fast Foods Lead to Fast Death: Informative Speech The fast-food industry has expanded at a rapid pace during the past half-century. The consequence has been the rapid expansion of the nation’s collective waistline.
Advertising Promoting Organic Food and Beverages To turn the world more organic, one has to resort to using organic supplies. Creating ads on the way people can improve environmental conditions will change the position.
Pet Food Product Marketing Strategy This paper outlines the marketing strategies that will be used for launching my pet food product: SWOT analysis, target market, market needs, and other market strategies.
Food Deserts Control in the United States Food access is a major contributor to food deserts and is viewed as a consequence of several factors such as physical closeness to food supplies.
Fast Food Nation: Annotated Bibliography Zepeda’s Bad Choices in Our Food System book explores how the food system, including relevant policies in the US, influences consumer food choices.
Food Donation and Food Safety: Environmental Health Food safety is often taken for granted, with most people relying on basic practices and following essential hygiene standards without giving a second thought.
Scientific Approach to Food Safety at Home The paper states that a scientific approach to handling, preparing, and storing food that explains how to prevent sickness is known as food safety.
Taiwanese Culture, Foods, and Tourism This paper provides a brief overview of Taiwan, including its location, culture, food, and tourism industry and its significant economic impact on the country.
Food Insecurity’s Causes and Implications Food insecurity is a complex problem that affects the economy, demography, ecology, and many other areas of development of states and their societies.
The Use of Biodegradable Straws in Food and Beverages Business Plastic straw usage is part of the problem of plastic pollution and its adverse impact on the planet’s ecology. Nature is dying, and all new consequences of plastic are manifested.
Effects of Climate Variability on Water Resources, Food Security, and Human Health Evaluating the effects of climate variability on water, food, and health will help identify the areas for improvement and offer solutions to current environmental challenges.
Junk Food Taxation in the United States This paper aims to study junk food taxation in the US, define the related problems, present solutions, and provide recommendations.
The Issue of Food and Water Security The global issue for the analysis is food and water security. This is a topical problem nowadays, especially in light of climate change and population growth.
Food and Cultural Appropriation Article by Cheung The article Cultural Appropriation by Helier Cheung focuses on the case of Lucky Lee restaurant, which started the discussion about the cultural appropriation of food.
Food Safety Sanitation Requirements for a Child’s Health To maintain optimal diet and nutrition for a child’s health and welfare, emphasis must be made on sanitary criteria for food safety, storage, preparation, and food presentation.
Sustainable Agriculture Against Food Insecurity The paper argues sustainable agriculture is one way to reduce food insecurity without harming the planet because the number of resources is currently decreasing.
Indian Cuisine: Food and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Eating Many social and cultural aspects of Indian cuisine are different from American foods. In Indian culture, eating is a significant social occasion.
Food Deserts and Their Impact on Local Communities This paper aims to discuss the reasons that give rise to food deserts, analyze the adverse effects they have on people, and propose strategies to improve the situation.
A Typical American Dinner Plate: Origins of Food A plate with tater tots (fried potatoes), chicken wings, spinach soup, and a piece of watermelon for dessert would qualify as ideal in any American household.
Logistics Network of the Food and Beverage Production Industry The purpose of this paper is to analyze waste management, lean principle application, value, costs, and performance within the food and beverage industry.
Eating Fast Food and Obesity Correlation Analysis The proposed study will attempt to answer the question of what is the relationship between eating fast food and obesity, using correlation analysis.
The Process of Food Poisoning in General This article focuses on food poisoning: briefly discusses pathogens and symptoms, referring to the article “Encyclopedia of Health – Diseases and Conditions”.
Food Consumption: Enjoyment and Ethics Humans have constructed an intricate set of beliefs that help them to justify killing other creatures for their own consumption.
“Chinese Restaurant Food” : The Article Review The article ‘Chinese Restaurant Food’ educates the general public about the hidden dangers and harm of eating too much Chinese food.
UK Business Sourcing Extensive Food Materials from Greece The ability of a firm to achieve success in the current competitive business environment depends on the effectiveness of its procurement and supplier relationship strategies.
“The Future of Food” Documentary The documentary “The Future of Food” is shocking by the revelation of how food is made in America. This work describes two main issues that this film focuses on.
Fast Food Harmful Effects on Children This paper states that the exposure of children to fast food early on has an adverse effect on them, resulting in the need to prevent the sale of fast food in schools.
Food: National Identity and Cultural Difference This paper examines Ukrainian salo and Japanese sushi to verify if food’s actual taste and ingredients help understand the affiliated people’s mentality.
Nutrition, Healthy Food Choice, and Nutritional Value of Fast Foods People’s choice for food is based on their specific perception and specific food need in the body as it may be prescribed by a medical doctor or a nutritionist.

Do you want to write a paper on the latest advancements in food science and technology? Here are some current food-related research topics to discuss:

Potential health benefits of plant-based diets.
Nanotechnology in food packaging.
The application of 3D printing in the food industry.
The benefits of bioprocessing of food waste.
The impact of fermented foods on gut health.
Current techniques for clean meat production.
Food traceability: why does it matter?
Alternative sweeteners as a sugar reduction strategy.
Emerging trends in food packaging materials.
The use of robotics in the food industry.
Alaska Natives Diet: Traditional Food Habits and Adaptation of American Foodstuffs The Alaska Natives have retained their culture up-to-date in spite of their interactions with the wider American society.
What the Slow Food Movement Is Doing to Help the World With Food Insecurities The paper enlightens people on the origins of the Slow Food movement and how it has affected modern food, health care, and environmental sustainability.
Factors Influencing Food Choices and Their Impact on Health Many people have access to various food options, while some are limited to the highly available and affordable unhealthy food choices.
The Consumer Attitude Towards Buying Organic Food in Hong Kong The aim of this research was to determine the factors that affect attitudes towards purchasing organic food in Hong Kong.
Behavioral Reasoning Perspectives on Organic Food Purchase This study employs the theory of behavioral reasoning to explain the magnitude of the intent gap in the purchase of organic food by introducing causes.
Food and Agriculture of Ancient Greece The concepts of agriculture and cuisine both have a deep connection to Greek history, culture, development, and social trends.
The Connection Between Food Choices, Identity, and Nationalism Korean nationalism in terms of food is different from that of American culture introduced by American fast food.
Proper Food Rotation Overview This paper will focus on the benefits of proper rotation and the consequences of effectively rotating foods, including its health implications.
Whole Foods: An Organizational Needs Analysis Whole Foods is a large international supermarket chain that offers healthy, natural, and organic products. The organization’s mission is to extend its role to feeding the planet.
Healthier Cookie Version: The Challenges to the Food Industry A meal can enhance a healthy body development and, if not well censored, can result in health-related problems such as high blood pressure.
How Do Fried Foods Affect Nutrition for Young Adults? An annotated bibliography on the topic how fried foods affect nutrition for young adults, the effect of television, the effect of dietary patterns on young adults’ health.
Food Voice of the Bangladeshi Rice forms the core of the Bangladeshi eating patterns. It is consumed in large quantities across the country, being the base for many traditional dishes.
The Effects of Food on ADHD The issue of ADHD and its relation to food has been a concern for a while. According to the outcomes of the study, the daily intake of food must be controlled in ADHD patients.
Comfort Food as a Quarantine Trend Comfort food is a coping mechanism for many people in stressful situations, especially as serious as a global pandemic.
TQM, Six Sigma and Product Liability in Perishable Food Industry This paper will examine on how economic, safety, legal and social responsibility, and how quality control system can be utilized to achieve the company goals.
Statistics on Food Disorders in the US and Puerto Rico The purpose of this paper is to analyze the statistics on food disorders in the United States, compare it with the situation in Puerto Rico, and suggest measures to tackle the problem.
America Express Charity Food Overview This paper analyses America Express (Amex) as regards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), vision, and mission statements.
Competition in the Australian Food Industry: Case Analysis This article focuses on an analysis of the performance of Weight Watchers Comapny and Paradise Food Industries to identify the de facto leader in the health food market.
How the Fast Food Industry Has Changed the Environment and the Health of American Society? More and more Americans eat fast food and since it is relatively inexpensive, tastes good and can be ordered and consumed quickly, fast food has become the national diet.
Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation” In the past 40 years, the world of fast food has penetrated even the remote areas of the American society. It was an industry, which had been started by a few hamburgers
Obesity Caused by Fast-Food as a Nursing Practice Issue The proposed intervention will emphasize the necessity to increase the intake of fruit and vegetables as a method of reducing the consumption of fast food.
Food in Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” The readers of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” cannot overlook the fact that the motif of food consumption does resurface throughout the play’s entirety.
Business Within Society: Food Truck The business in this instance is a food truck that specializes in selling affordable yet clean meals to various workers in and around.
Australian Consumers Strategies to Reduce Food Waste It is estimated that Australians discard food over $5 billion annually. Thus, government efforts to reduce food waste would result in significant financial savings.
The Currency Devaluation Concept in the Food Industry Finances and exchange rates play a substantial role in the functioning of the international market while ensuring the circulations of goods and services.
Food Additives: Dangers and Health Impact Research shows that synthetic food additives have a negative human health and consumer dissatisfaction effect which calls for stricter regulation of their use in products.
Local Food Venture and Its Operations Management Building a small business enterprise is a complex task. This case study examines a model of expanding a local food venture to a permanent location and franchise.
Drug-Drug and Food-Drug Interactions Drug-drug interactions occur when a medicine interferes or affects the activity of a second drug when administered together.
Slow Food Movement in USA The Slow Food movement started in the middle of 1980s by C. Petrini as a protest against the fast food industry and the call for returning to the traditional healthy eating habits.
Food Habits and Acculturation of Immigrants With immigration waves and globalization, people from foreign countries integrate within the host culture, which is a process called acculturation.
The Food Quality Impact on Economy and Health The problem of food quality and its impact on the economy and health of not only one country but the whole world cannot be overemphasized.
Technical Description of a Food Processor A food processor seems like one of those kitchen gadgets that, once owned, makes a person wonder how they ever survived without it.
Fast-Food Expansion Strategy for Indian Market With the increasing globalization of the world economy and the fast-food industry, in particular, major fast-food chains continuously seek new markets to expand their operations.
Trade Peculiarities in Food and Agriculture Food trading is a peculiar area, as food is the basis for surviving the population. The one who controls food production and trading routes, also controls all populations.
Discussion of Freedman’s Article “How Junk Food Can End Obesity” David Freedman, in article “How Junk Food Can End Obesity”, talks about various misconceptions regarding healthy food that are common in society.
A Qualitative Study of Independent Fast-Food Vendors Near Secondary Schools “A qualitative study of independent fast-food vendors near secondary schools” primarily sought to explore and navigate the barriers toward offering healthier menu options.
Firefly Burger Fast Food Marketing Plan The project aims to examine the internal and external environments that affect the success of Firefly restaurant and the need for changing its marketing strategy.
Healthy Fast Foods: Sector Analysis Health consciousness is fast becoming an important trend in the fast-food restaurant industry. The paper concerns sector analysis on profitability in the said marketplace.
Behavior-Based Safety in the Food Industry: DO IT Method The so-called DO IT method is useful when applied to jobs in the restaurant industry, leading to an improvement in the work behavior of employees.
Time and Food: Chrononutrition & Night Eating This paper examines the relationship between time and nutrition, involving chrono-nutrition and night shift eating, as well as the health outcomes of metabolic and public health.

If you’re looking for persuasive topics about food to talk about, here are some suggestions for you:

The benefits of eating organic foods.
Fast food advertising to children should be banned.
Food waste reduction is everyone’s responsibility.
The importance of clear and informative food labels.
The need for stricter regulation of junk food sales in schools.
Why should the government impose a soda tax?
The role of food companies in addressing childhood obesity.
The impact of social media on eating behaviors.
Home cooking is essential for health and family bonding.
The role of food companies in addressing food allergies.
The Importance of Sustainable Development in the Food Retail Sector
Genetically Modified Food Safety and Benefits
Global Food Supplies, Overpopulation and Pollution
Chick-fil-A Inc.’s Entry into Qatari Food Industry
Pizza as One of the Most Famous Food in London
Supply Chain Management in the Food Industry
The Food Insecurity Action Center
Sustainable Food Production: Cooking Chicken Breast
Ecological Consumption in Terms of Food
Global Trade: Food Price Indexes and Data Collection
Food Waste Management Importance
Canada’s Food Guide Discussion
The American Diet Influenced by Fast Food Ads
Food Deserts’ Impact on Children
The Salmonella Bacterium as a Food Borne Illness Pathogen
The Omnivore’s Dilemma Regarding Sources of Food
Improper Food Handling Practices in Kansas City Restaurant
The Food Insecurity Issue and Methods of Solving
Food Ingredients: Molecular Reactions
Food Preparation in Upper Paleolithic Ohalo II
Agriculture, Water, and Food Security in Tanzania
Food, Inc., Produced by Kenner Review
Jewish Dietary Patterns: Kosher Food and New Meat
Improper Food Handling Practices in Kansas City
The Lack of Food Safety in Kansas City, Missouri
Food Poisoning Caused by Staphylococcus Aureus
Effects of Food-Medication Interplay on Recovery
The Reaction to the “Food, Inc.” Documentary
Food Insecurity Health Issue: How to Mitigate It
Hazard Analysis in Food Safety
The Challenges in Food Supply Chain During COVID-19
Nike, Whole Foods, and Mcdonald’s: The Use of Information Systems
Food Industry: The Safety Issues
Food Insecurity in New York City
Agriculture-Led Food Crops and Cash Crops in Tanzania
Code of Ethics in Food Tracks Business
Cause and Effect of Genetically Modified Food
Food Security: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Indian Culture and Food Supply
Buffalo Skies Aki Forest Food Sovereignty Pilot Project
Amazon and Whole Foods Merger
Protecting Ourselves from Food Article by Sherman & Flaxman
Food Deserts and Related Challenges
The Baby Food Shortage: Public Service Announcement
Examining Solutions for Mitigating the Food and Water Security Issue
Restricting the Volume of Sale of Fast Foods and Genetically Modified Foods
Agriculture and Food Safety in the United States
Expanding Access to Food Interview Plan
Liability of Death from Food Poisoning
Food Labeling Affecting Sustainable Food Choices
Analysis of Freeman’s Promotion of Junk Food
Morals and Using Animals for Food
Fast Food Addiction: Comparison of Articles
Evaluation of Articles on Food and Water Security
Food Administration on Sustainable Palm Oil
Food Cost Issues in the Hospital
Issues of Obesity and Food Addiction
Global Societal Issue: Food and Water Security
Addressing Food Insecurity in Wyandotte County
Chinese Food in the United States
Fortified and Aromatic Wines and Accompanying Food
“Can You Be Addicted to Food?”: A New Problem Faced by North Americans
The Connection Between Food Allergies and Gut Microbiome
Food Facility Design: Sustainable Kitchen for Delight Restaurant
Foreign Market Entry of Electronic Food Delivery Service in Nigeria
Successful Institutional Food Management & Delivery Systems
Food and Water Security as Globalization Issues
Digitization in Improving the Food Supply Chain
The Discrepancies in Unhealthy Food Advertising: Hispanic and Black Consumers
The Biofuel and Food Industry Connection
Climate Change and Food Production Cycle
“Societal Control” Over Food and Weight Gain
Food Deprivation in the United States
“Fast Food Nation”: The Development of the Food Industry in the USA
Healthy Food for Learning Achievements in School
Introduction to Food: Macromolecules Analysis
Discussion of Food Foraging History
Aspects of Food Insecurity
Botulism Prevention and Food Security Approaches
Should Food Manufacturers Label All GMOs?
“Food Stamped” and Its Main Shortcomings
Discussion of Food Security Technologies
Whole Foods Company’s Product Marketing in France
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Globalization
Food Allergies and Eating Disorders
Supply Chain Strategy for the Foods and Drinks Sector
Organic Food Purchases Among Customers of Different Ages
Food Security: Global Health Issue Comparison
Are Food Manufactures Killing Us?
A Community Mobile Food Truck to Serve Disadvantaged Children’s Needs
White-Collar Crimes: Unsafe Food
The Class About Nutrition to Real Life Situations When Making Food Choices
Food and Beverage Plan: The COVID-19 Pandemic Influence
Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food
Food Supplements in Preventing Long-Term Illnesses
Personal Response About the Documentary “Food Inc.”
Fast Food Restaurants in the US
Fast-Food Marketing and Children’s Fast-Food Consumption
Genetically Modified Foods: How Safe are they?
Food, Health and Environment Relations
The Home Food Environment and Obesity-Promoting Eating Behaviours
Fast Food and Health Relations
Genetically Modified Organisms in Human Food
Nursing: Issue of Obesity, Impact of Food
When Food Costs More Than It Is Supposed To
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Amendment
American Food Industry in the “Food, Inc.” Movie
Ban on Genetically Modified Foods
Obesity Treatment – More Than Food
Fast-Food Industry’s Influences on Children
Halal Food in Other Religions
Nitrates and Nitrites in Food
Neighborhood Deprivation and Exposure to Fast Food in a Large Rural Area
Bacteria That Cause Food Toxicity
“The Food Matters” by James Colquhoun
“The Future of Food” produced by Catherine Lynn Butler
A 3-Day Diet Analysis With the USDA Food Pyramid
Reducing Food Packaging Litter in Ireland
Food Insecurity Assessment in Miami
Food Labeling and Concordia University’s Food Sphere
The History of Soul Food Cuisine in the United States
The Words on Your Plate: Analysis of the Food Words
The Actual and Budgeted Food Costs
Escherichia Coli Infection: Preventing Food Borne Illness
Food and Wine Pairing Menu
National Food Policy Guaranteeing Healthy Food Marketing
Impact of COVID-19 on People’s Livelihoods, Their Health and Our Food Systems
Food Festival Event for Westboro Residents
Analysis of Nutrition and Food Studies
Modeling Sustainable Food Systems
Soul Food: An Original American Art Form
Macronutrients Consumption: The Best Food Sources
The Impact of Food Choices on the Economy and Environment
Teens ‘Especially Vulnerable’ to Junk Food Advertising
The Importance of Variability in the Food Industry
Food Waste Reduction Strategy
Food Additives Use in Agriculture in the United States
Schieffelin: Rainforest Environment and the Kaluli Food Production
Advantages of Using Genetically Modified Foods
The Origins of the Soul Food and Barbeque in the USA
Food and Sustainable Environmental Issues in Campus
2019 Brooklyn Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival
Visual Communication. Natural Food Packaging Colors
Is Fast Food Really Harmful and Can It Be Healthy?
The Current American Food Situation Influenced by the Immigrant Farmers
Traditional Lakota Food: Buffalo
Organic Foods Issue of “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan
Negative Impact of Soil Erosion on the World`s Food Supply
Food Safety in the Commercial Industry
Testing Food Service Employees: Policy Assessment
How Tesco a Leading Food Retailer Globally
Food Safety Issues and Standards
Genetic Engineering in Food and Freshwater Issues
Food Habits and Dietary Practices: Honey as Food
Climate Change and Its Potential Impact on Agriculture and Food Supply
White Thinking Hat Fast Food: Overview
Genetically Modified Food as a Current Issue
The Fast Food Restaurants History in the United States
Fast Food Nation: Business Analysis
Delectability of Foods Within the Context of Children
Concerns Regarding Genetically Modified Food
Food and Drug Administration – Regulatory Agency
Do Marketers Condition Us to Buy More Junk Food?
Bologna-Surface Bacterial Analysis: Bacterial Contamination on Two Food Contact Surfaces
The Case of Salesforce and Wegmans Food Market
Food Insecurity Intervention and Its Effectiveness
Proposal for Lowering the Intake of High-Calorie Food
Food Company Managing Business Activities
Food Innovation: Ayran Yogurt in the Scandinavian Market
Organizational Design Factors in the Food Industry
Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Analysis
Global Food Security: UN Speech
Sociology of Food and Eating
Food & Beverage Companies’ Input to Global Food Consumption
McDonald’s Fast-Food Restaurant’s Analysis
Fast-Food Restaurant’s Capacity Increasing Options
Healthy Food Access for Poor People
Waste, Food and Transportation: Sustainable Development
Food Stamps: Rationale for Tightened Conditions
Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Environment
Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Market Capitalization
Food Labeling Changes in the United States
Biofoam: The Snack Food That’s Packing America
Start Up Company: Genetically Modified Foods in China
Costly Healthy Food and State Policies
Granite City Food & Brewery Company’s Value Chain
Nature’s Best Pet Food Brand’s Target Market
Food Choices in Food Deserts: Sociological Analysis
Healthy and Nutritious Food for Young Children
Food Chain: Ricotta Cheese Production
Food in Reducing Risks and Improving Health
Childhood Obesity Causes: Junk Food and Video Games
Food and Drug Administration Fast-Track Approval
Eco-Friendly Packaging Design for Food and Drinks
Dietary Laws and Food Products for Health
Food Policy Action and Food Security Legislation
Fast Food as a Cause of Obesity in the US and World
How Canadian Government Could Improve Food Safety?
Labeling Food With Genetically Modified Organisms
Ethical Eating in Daily Food Practices
Healthy Food in U.S. Schools
Food Diversion as a Type-2 Diabetes Treatment
Food Producing Company and Its Key Processes
Saddle Creek Corporation: Navigating Global Logistics with Sustainability
IES Lean Systems Ltd. in the Food Industry
Food Ads Ban for Childhood Obesity Prevention
World Hunger and Food Distribution as Global Issue
Packaging in Marketing, Food Safety, Environment
Food for the Working-class Americans
Fast Food Consumption and Obesity Severity: Key Findings
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Nutrition: Causes and Effects of Fast Food
WHO’s Stance on Genetically Modified Foods and Global Reactions
Different National Cultures: Pieces of Asida and Sitting in a Circle
Food in the 20th Centure
Food Safety and Information Bulletin
Food Safety Issues and Public Health Nutrition
Food Allergies and Obesity
Genetically Modified Foods and Their Impact on Human Health
Obesity: Major Health Issue Today | Causes Beyond Excess Calories

Thanks for reading! On this page, we’ve collected:

	You’ll discover a wide range of analytical, informative, and argumentative essay topics about food.
	Do you want to write a paper about food processing and storage techniques? StudyCorgi has suitable ideas for you!
	Feel free to use the titles below for your presentation, persuasive speech, project, and other assignments.
	Check out interesting samples below to get inspired and better understand how to structure your own paper about food.

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These essay examples and topics on Food were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 22, 2024 .

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Career — The Profession Of Food Scientist

The Profession of Food Scientist

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Published: May 19, 2020

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IELTS Essay: Food Science

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 8 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of whether or not schools should teach children about the science of food and its preparation from the real IELTS exam.

For my exclusive IELTS Ebooks, support me on Patreon here !

Some people think students should study the science of food and how to prepare it. Others think students should spend time on important subjects.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion .

Some today advocate the teaching of food science and preparation in schools as a key 21st century skill. In my opinion, though the expense is a potential obstacle, such a proposal is justifiable.

Opponents of this proposed curriculum shift argue that it would only benefit more affluent school systems. The majority of schools, particularly those in inner cities and remote rural regions, struggle already to maintain quality facilities and employ experienced, dedicated teachers. The idea of building a kitchen for student-use and keeping it stocked with ingredients as well as the sophisticated equipment required to teach about and practice molecular gastronomy is simply unrealistic. Critics justly point out that such money would be better spent maintaining more essential infrastructure such as the fields, classrooms, and school buildings themselves.

Nonetheless, assuming government funding is available, this would be an ideal method of combining a practical skill with scientific theory. One of the most common complaints among students after graduation is that the vast majority of their studies were impractical and did not prepare them for adulthood. Learning to cook on its own would go a long way towards answering this criticism. However, the true gains would come from the linking of theory and practice. Many scientific theories are abstract and difficult to both understand and retain later in life. The practical application in cooking would not only help students grasp the concepts initially but repeated review from making meals in one’s daily life would likely ensure permanent understanding.

In conclusion, food science may seem trivial and its application might pose financial hurdles but it is worth enacting in order to educate students well. Where possible, governments should allocate the necessary funding.

1. Some today advocate the teaching of food science and preparation in schools as a key 21st century skill. 2. In my opinion, though the expense is a potential obstacle, such a proposal is justifiable.

Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. Opponents of this proposed curriculum shift argue that it would only benefit more affluent school systems. 2. The majority of schools, particularly those in inner cities and remote rural regions, struggle already to maintain quality facilities and employ experienced, dedicated teachers. 3. The idea of building a kitchen for student-use and keeping it stocked with ingredients as well as the sophisticated equipment required to teach about and practice molecular gastronomy is simply unrealistic. 4. Critics justly point out that such money would be better spent maintaining more essential infrastructure such as the fields, classrooms, and school buildings themselves.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with a hypothetical example.
Continue to develop it as fully as possible.

1. Nonetheless, assuming government funding is available, this would be an ideal method of combining a practical skill with scientific theory. 2. One of the most common complaints among students after graduation is that the vast majority of their studies were impractical and did not prepare them for adulthood. 3. Learning to cook on its own would go a long way towards answering this criticism. 4. However, the true gains would come from the linking of theory and practice. 5. Many scientific theories are abstract and difficult to both understand and retain later in life. 6. The practical application in cooking would not only help students grasp the concepts initially but repeated review from making meals in one’s daily life would likely ensure permanent understanding.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
The more specific, the better.
Develop the example.
Conclude the paragraph or finish developing your last idea.

1. In conclusion, food science may seem trivial and its application might pose financial hurdles but it is worth enacting in order to educate students well. 2. Where possible, governments should allocate the necessary funding.

Summarise your main ideas.
Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

Some today advocate the teaching of food science and preparation in schools as a key 21st century skill . In my opinion, though the expense is a potential obstacle , such a proposal is justifiable .

Opponents of this proposed curriculum shift argue that it would only benefit more affluent school systems . The majority of schools, particularly those in inner cities and remote rural regions , struggle already to maintain quality facilities and employ experienced , dedicated teachers. The idea of building a kitchen for student-use and keeping it stocked with ingredients as well as the sophisticated equipment required to teach about and practice molecular gastronomy is simply unrealistic . Critics justly point out that such money would be better spent maintaining more essential infrastructure such as the fields , classrooms, and school buildings themselves.

Nonetheless , assuming government funding is available, this would be an ideal method of combining a practical skill with scientific theory . One of the most common complaints among students after graduation is that the vast majority of their studies were impractical and did not prepare them for adulthood . Learning to cook on its own would go a long way towards answering this criticism . However, the true gains would come from the linking of theory and practice. Many scientific theories are abstract and difficult to both understand and retain later in life . The practical application in cooking would not only help students grasp the concepts initially but repeated review from making meals in one’s daily life would likely ensure permanent understanding .

In conclusion, food science may seem trivial and its application might pose financial hurdles but it is worth enacting in order to educate students well. Where possible , governments should allocate the necessary funding .

advocate are in favour of

food science molecular gastronomy

preparation making

key 21st century skill important future ability

expense cost

potential obstacle possible hurdle

proposal idea

justifiable good reason for

opponents critics

proposed curriculum shift suggested change to what is studied in school

argue point out

affluent school systems rich schools

majority most of

particularly especially

inner cities tough parts of cities

remote rural regions far away countryside

struggle have difficulty with

maintain quality facilities keep the school up to standard

employ experienced hire good

dedicated caring

student-use for students to use

keeping it stocked full of supplies

as well as also

sophisticated equipment fancy kitchen appliances

molecular gastronomy food science

unrealistic not feasible

critics justly point out opponents rightly argue

maintaining more essential infrastructure keep up the quality of more important buildings

fields pitches

nonetheless regardless

assuming if it is true

ideal method perfect way

combining putting together

practical skill useful ability

scientific theory possible explanation for nature

most common complaints among many are upset about

graduation finishing school

vast majority by far the most of

impractical not useful

adulthood as adults

go a long way towards answering this criticism helps to combat

true gains real benefits

linking combining

scientific theories ideas

abstract not practical, concrete

retain later in life remember later

practical application can be used in the real world

grasp the concepts initially understand right away

repeated review revise over and over

making meals in one’s daily life cooking

ensure permanent understanding make sure they retain the info

trivial unimportant

application use

pose financial hurdles challenges related to money

enacting passing

where possible if it can be done

allocate give money to

necessary funding needed money

Pronunciation

ˈædvəkɪt fuːd ˈsaɪəns ˌprɛpəˈreɪʃən kiː ˈtwɛnti fɜːst ˈsɛnʧʊri skɪl ɪksˈpɛns pəʊˈtɛnʃəl ˈɒbstəkl prəˈpəʊzəl ˈʤʌstɪfaɪəbl əˈpəʊnənts prəˈpəʊzd kəˈrɪkjʊləm ʃɪft ˈɑːgjuː ˈæflʊənt skuːl ˈsɪstɪmz məˈʤɒrɪti pəˈtɪkjʊləli ˈɪnə ˈsɪtiz rɪˈməʊt ˈrʊərəl ˈriːʤənz ˈstrʌgl meɪnˈteɪn ˈkwɒlɪti fəˈsɪlɪtiz ɪmˈplɔɪ ɪksˈpɪərɪənst ˈdɛdɪkeɪtɪd ˈstjuːdənt-juːz ˈkiːpɪŋ ɪt stɒkt æz wɛl æz səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd ɪˈkwɪpmənt məʊˈlɛkjʊlə gæsˈtrɒnəmi ˌʌnrɪəˈlɪstɪk ˈkrɪtɪks ˈʤʌstli pɔɪnt aʊt meɪnˈteɪnɪŋ mɔːr ɪˈsɛnʃəl ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧə fiːldz ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs əˈsjuːmɪŋ aɪˈdɪəl ˈmɛθəd kəmˈbaɪnɪŋ ˈpræktɪkəl skɪl ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˈθɪəri məʊst ˈkɒmən kəmˈpleɪnts əˈmʌŋ ˌgrædjʊˈeɪʃən vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti ɪmˈpræktɪkəl əˈdʌlthʊd gəʊ ə lɒŋ weɪ təˈwɔːdz ˈɑːnsərɪŋ ðɪs ˈkrɪtɪsɪzm truː geɪnz ˈlɪŋkɪŋ ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˈθɪəriz ˈæbstrækt rɪˈteɪn ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf ˈpræktɪkəl ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n grɑːsp ðə ˈkɒnsɛpts ɪˈnɪʃəli rɪˈpiːtɪd rɪˈvjuː ˈmeɪkɪŋ miːlz ɪn wʌnz ˈdeɪli laɪf ɪnˈʃʊə ˈpɜːmənənt ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ ˈtrɪvɪəl ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n pəʊz faɪˈnænʃəl ˈhɜːdlz ɪˈnæktɪŋ weə ˈpɒsəbl ˈæləʊkeɪt ˈnɛsɪsəri ˈfʌndɪŋ

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Remember and fill in the blanks:

Some today a____________e the teaching of f________________e and p______________n in schools as a k_______________________l . In my opinion, though the e____________e is a p____________________e , such a p___________l is j__________________e .

O_______________s of this p_______________________________t a______e that it would only benefit more a_______________________s . The m__________y of schools, p_______________y those in i_______________s and r_______________________s , s_____________e already to m___________________________s and e______________________d , d_____________d teachers. The idea of building a kitchen for s______________e and k_____________________d with ingredients a_____________s the s_________________________t required to teach about and practice m__________________________y is simply u_______________c . C__________________________t that such money would be better spent m__________________________________________e such as the f_________s , classrooms, and school buildings themselves.

N______________s , a____________g government funding is available, this would be an i________________d of c_______________g a p_________________l with s______________________y . One of the m_____________________________g students after g______________n is that the v____________________y of their studies were i_______________________l and did not prepare them for a____________________d . Learning to cook on its own would g______________________________________m . However, the t_______________s would come from the l_____________g of theory and practice. Many s____________________s are a__________t and difficult to both understand and r____________________e . The p________________________n in cooking would not only help students g_____________________________y but r__________________w from m______________________________e would likely e________________________________g .

In conclusion, food science may seem t___________l and its a________________n might p___________________________s but it is worth e_______________g in order to educate students well. W________________e , governments should a___________e the n______________________g .

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Published: 15 September 2021

Food system concepts and definitions for science and political action

Joachim von Braun ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6571-4838 1 ,
Kaosar Afsana 2 ,
Louise Ottilie Fresco 3 ,
Mohamed Hassan 4 &
Maximo Torero 5

Nature Food volume 2 , pages 748–750 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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Agriculture
Socioeconomic scenarios

For fruitful deliberations and concerted action at the science–politics interface, the concepts of food systems and drivers of change need to be clearly understood and employed by all.

Food systems exist at different scales: global, regional, national and local. Local food systems around the world are very diverse and location specific. They share some key features, but any attempt to change them should reflect their uniqueness resulting from traditions, cultures, economic structures and ecologies of locations. Change in food systems comes about through external and internal drivers, as well as through feedback mechanisms between these drivers. External drivers are, for instance, from climate or health systems, while internal drivers are, for instance, from productivity gains as a consequence of innovations or from changes in consumer behaviour.

The way in which changes in food systems impact sustainability in its diverse social, economic and ecological dimensions is critical. With the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 there is an accelerating momentum worldwide to adopt systems approaches to bring consumption and production patterns together to achieve sustainable development through an integrated approach to food systems.

Defining and conceptualizing

A practical definition of food systems should meet two essential criteria: (1) it should be suitable for the purpose at hand, which is to support global and national collective efforts to bring about positive change in food systems by accelerating progress on meeting the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, in particular, to end hunger, improve diets and protect ecologies; and (2) it should be sufficiently precise to define the domains for policy and programmatic priorities but sufficiently general to not exclude any aspects of the economic, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability.

The significance of criterion 1 is that the definition should guide not only scientific inquiry but actions of all types toward a common purpose, namely, food systems change and, in the long run, even food systems transformation 2 . The point of criterion 2 is to avoid the intellectual hubris that accompanies many efforts of characterizing and graphically depicting food systems’ complexities in great detail. Efforts to map food systems visually may help scientists as well as decision makers to identify key interactions and the mechanisms, both natural and social, that regulate those interactions. Yet, food systems maps that try to be fully comprehensive tend to collapse under the density and complexity of the interactions being described and analysed. At the other extreme, food systems maps and models that focus too narrowly on a reduced set of phenomena gain apparent explanatory power at the cost of realism, adequacy or the exclusion of important economic, social or biophysical environmental forces. There is no clearly defined pathway out of this dilemma. Much depends on the relevant policy question as well as on the context and scale of the food systems under consideration.

Food systems embrace the entire range of actors and their interlinked value-adding activities involved in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal (loss or waste) of food products originating from agriculture (including livestock), forestry, fisheries and food industries, along with the broader economic, societal and physical environments in which these activities are embedded 3 . The range of actors includes, importantly, those from science, technology, data and innovation sectors 4 .

Sustainable food systems are those that contribute to food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social, cultural and ecological bases that generate food security and nutrition for future generations are safeguarded 5 . It should be noted that desirable food systems are necessary but not sufficient to assure good nutrition — even the best food system cannot assure good nutrition in a situation of poor hygiene, unclean drinking water, poor childcare and widespread infectious diseases. Moreover, the availability of plentiful and healthy food does not guarantee adequate consumption patterns or prevent excess body weight.

The concept of food systems transformation has been linked to the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda and refers to the objective of pursuing fundamental change in food systems, for instance, to aim for climate neutrality and achieving the SDGs. Transformation is a never-ending process in food systems, transition is the movement from one state to another, and evolution is the process of change. These are not interchangeable terminologies. Most food systems need all three.

Conceptualizing food systems entails defining system boundaries and system building blocks and linkages between them and understanding connections with neighbouring systems such as health, ecology, economy and governance, as well as the science and innovation systems (Fig. 1 ). Food systems are in a continuous state of change and adaptation. For the Food Systems Summit, this requires the identification of actions that enhance the positive side-effects or remediate or mitigate the negative side-effects of policies. The elimination of the net-negative externalities of food systems in terms of ecology and health costs would reveal the true costs and price of food. The concept of a sustainable circular bioeconomy as an overarching systems frame, in which food systems are embedded, could be considered in the solution-finding process.

The food system in a positive systems concept with health, environmental, economic and innovation systems 7 , 8 .

An action-oriented concept

Systems can be conceptualized from a positive or from a normative perspective. The positive concept attempts to design systems structures and functions as they occur in the current real world and identify where desirable systems change can be introduced. The normative concept postulates a set of objectives and aims to shape the systems to serve the stated objectives. Both concepts aggregate and simplify real-world structures and processes. Neither of these approaches escapes the yardstick of scientific evidence. For theoretical clarity of the underlying value judgments, however, the two approaches need to be distinguished. As the Food Systems Summit is based on clearly stated objectives already defined in the SDGs, a normative approach is justified. Yet, normative approaches need to be put to the test by positive approaches to avoid steering into a dead end of unrealistic wishful thinking. Thus, normative and positive approaches are complementary. To build upon existing efforts, we suggest a concept of food systems that may help to frame action-oriented agenda setting, such as the one reflected in the five Action Tracks for the Food Systems Summit in support of the SDGs. These Action Tracks are described as: (1) ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all (enabling all people to be well nourished and healthy); (2) shifting to sustainable consumption patterns (promoting and creating demand for healthy and sustainable diets and reducing waste); (3) boosting nature-positive production at sufficient scale (acting on climate change, reducing emissions and increasing carbon capture, regenerating and protecting critical ecosystems, and reducing food loss and energy usage, without undermining health or nutritious diets); (4) advancing equitable livelihoods and value distribution (raising incomes, distributing risk, expanding inclusion and creating jobs); and (5) building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses (ensuring the continued functionality of healthy and sustainable food systems).

The five Action Tracks capture key opportunities and challenges of food systems and relate to one or more food system components, but they do not define the concept of food systems as such. Therefore, pursuit of the Action Tracks needs to take into account an overarching food systems concept. Pursuing each Action Track in isolation from the others would lead to inefficient solution proposals that neglect system-wide effects. We thus offer a perspective that attempts to position the five Action Tracks in a food systems framework (Fig. 2 ): we expect food security and nutrition, livelihood improvements, and production that is environmentally sustainable; we want resilience to shocks (that is, low variability, and a quick recovery from negative shocks); and we know that consumption patterns are a powerful lever for change. Ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all (enabling all people to be well nourished and healthy) is supported by the other four Action Tracks, yet improved nutrition also feeds back into the other four Action Tracks. The Action Tracks need to consider functional relationships among them in a systemic way.

The five Action Tracks are aligned in a normative perspective to the food systems concept.

The systems perspective must not overlook some key cross-cutting issues and themes that need due attention, for example, COVID-19 has highlighted the intertwining of food and health systems. Science and new and emerging technologies and innovations, including gene editing, digitization, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, are critical for improving the productivity, efficiency, equity and sustainability of food systems. The role of women and gender are important determinants for productive, healthy and sustainable food systems and are fundamental for equity. Trade, market structures and the dynamics of food industries require policy attention 6 . And there is a tendency to think of food systems as terrestrial systems only, but it will be vital to broaden the understanding of food systems to include their links to water cycles, oceans and fisheries.

Concluding remarks

The discourse on food systems must not abstract from the issue of culture and values, otherwise it would seem to be merely a technical question. This applies especially — but not only — to the greatly diverse indigenous food systems and the culture and knowledge embedded in them.

The Food Systems Summit needs to facilitate action to overcome system failures that contribute to hunger, malnutrition and obesity problems; to the ecological problems of deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity losses and species extinctions; to the problems of poor livelihoods in farming communities, especially for women and youth; and to the fundamental issues of food-system-related violations of rights — the human right to food, broadly defined. The Summit needs to come up with visions for food system transformations in their respective contexts. While a strong sense of urgency is called for due to the malfunction of big food systems, the time horizon for the food system transformations needs to reach far beyond 2030, given demographic change, climate change, technological change and linkages between people and nature in the Anthropocene.

If food systems shall deliver on the stated objectives (the SDGs), the Food Systems Summit needs to be open to new thinking and concepts and to establishing new institutional and organizational arrangements. Addressing symptoms of system failures will not be sufficient. Investing in science is essential to innovate, develop and implement game-changing propositions that fit the respective food system contexts. Science and policy have a lot to gain from cooperating through a strong and effective science–policy interface to help guide the follow up to the Summit 7 .

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2020); https://go.nature.com/3l5xhJD

von Braun, J. et al. Ending Hunger by 2030 – Policy Actions and Costs (Center for Development Research, 2020); https://go.nature.com/3zXLxul

Nguyen, H. Sustainable Food Systems: Concept and Framework (FAO, 2018); https://go.nature.com/3hgKcHP

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InterAcademy Partnership Opportunities for Future Research and Innovation on Food and Nutrition Security and Agriculture. The InterAcademy Partnership’s Global Perspective (2018); https://go.nature.com/3yWmrL0

von Braun, J. in Agriculture and Rural Development in a Globalizing World (eds Pingali, P. & Feder, G.), Ch. 14, 273–291 (Routledge, 2017).

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the peer review of a background paper on which this Comment is based by reviewers P. Pinstrup-Andersen (Copenhagen University), P. Scheelbeek (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), M. Dev (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research), Z. Jing (Nanjing Agricultural University) and M. Toure (The World Academy of Sciences).

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Joachim von Braun

BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Kaosar Afsana

Wageningen University & Research Executive Board, Wageningen, the Netherlands

Louise Ottilie Fresco

The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS), Khartoum, Sudan

Mohamed Hassan

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy

Maximo Torero

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von Braun, J., Afsana, K., Fresco, L.O. et al. Food system concepts and definitions for science and political action. Nat Food 2 , 748–750 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00361-2

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Published : 15 September 2021

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00361-2

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What is Ray Kurzweil’s vision of the future of what it means to be human?

Overhead view of high protein foods: chicken, meat, spinach, eggs, nuts, bean, cheese. (nutrition, health, food, diet)

human nutrition

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

UNICEF - Nutrition
FAO Corporate Documnet Repository - Food and people - Human nutrition: Key to health and development
UNESCO - Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems - Human Nutrition
Table Of Contents

What is human nutrition?

Human nutrition is the process by which substances in food are transformed into body tissues and provide energy for the full range of physical and mental activities that make up human life.

What nutrients are essential for human nutrition?

Proteins, lipids (mostly fats and oils), carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water are essential nutrients for human nutrition.

What foods are the main sources of human nutrition?

The main sources for human nutrition include cereals; starchy roots; legumes; vegetables and fruits; sugars, preserves, and syrups; meat, fish, and eggs; milk and milk products; fats and oils; and beverages.

What does meat provide in human nutrition?

Meat provides protein, which is of high biological value in human nutrition. It consists of about 20 percent protein, 20 percent fat, and 60 percent water. Meat is also a good source of niacin, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and the mineral nutrients iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

human nutrition , process by which substances in food are transformed into body tissues and provide energy for the full range of physical and mental activities that make up human life.

The study of human nutrition is interdisciplinary in character, involving not only physiology , biochemistry, and molecular biology but also fields such as psychology and anthropology , which explore the influence of attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and cultural traditions on food choices. Human nutrition further touches on economics and political science as the world community recognizes and responds to the suffering and death caused by malnutrition . The ultimate goal of nutritional science is to promote optimal health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer as well as to prevent classic nutritional deficiency diseases such as kwashiorkor and pellagra .

Learn which foods provide proteins and other nutrients humans need to maintain a healthy, balanced diet

This article covers the major issues of human nutrition, such as energy generation and balance, essential nutrients, and recommended dietary guidelines. For a full-length treatment of health problems created by failure in nutrition, see nutritional disease . The utilization of food materials by all living things is described in nutrition , and specific biochemical processes are described in metabolism .

Utilization of food by the body

Calories and kilocalories : energy supply.

What really makes a nutritious and complete breakfast?

The human body can be thought of as an engine that releases the energy present in the foods that it digests . This energy is utilized partly for the mechanical work performed by the muscles and in the secretory processes and partly for the work necessary to maintain the body’s structure and functions. The performance of work is associated with the production of heat ; heat loss is controlled so as to keep body temperature within a narrow range. Unlike other engines, however, the human body is continually breaking down ( catabolizing ) and building up ( anabolizing ) its component parts. Foods supply nutrients essential to the manufacture of the new material and provide energy needed for the chemical reactions involved.

How to understand the nutrition facts on food labels

Carbohydrate, fat , and protein are, to a large extent, interchangeable as sources of energy. Typically, the energy provided by food is measured in kilocalories, or Calories. One kilocalorie is equal to 1,000 gram- calories (or small calories), a measure of heat energy. However, in common parlance, kilocalories are referred to as “calories.” In other words, a 2,000-calorie diet actually has 2,000 kilocalories of potential energy . One kilocalorie is the amount of heat energy required to raise one kilogram of water from 14.5 to 15.5 °C at one atmosphere of pressure. Another unit of energy widely used is the joule , which measures energy in terms of mechanical work. One joule is the energy expended when one kilogram is moved a distance of one metre by a force of one newton . The relatively higher levels of energy in human nutrition are more likely to be measured in kilojoules (1 kilojoule = 10 3 joules) or megajoules (1 megajoule = 10 6 joules). One kilocalorie is equivalent to 4.184 kilojoules.

The energy present in food can be determined directly by measuring the output of heat when the food is burned (oxidized) in a bomb calorimeter . However, the human body is not as efficient as a calorimeter, and some potential energy is lost during digestion and metabolism. Corrected physiological values for the heats of combustion of the three energy-yielding nutrients, rounded to whole numbers, are as follows: carbohydrate , 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) per gram; protein, 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) per gram; and fat, 9 kilocalories (38 kilojoules) per gram. Beverage alcohol ( ethyl alcoho l) also yields energy—7 kilocalories (29 kilojoules) per gram—although it is not essential in the diet. Vitamins , minerals, water, and other food constituents have no energy value, although many of them participate in energy-releasing processes in the body.

The energy provided by a well-digested food can be estimated if the gram amounts of energy-yielding substances (non-fibre carbohydrate, fat, protein, and alcohol) in that food are known. For example, a slice of white bread containing 12 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of protein , and 1 gram of fat supplies 67 kilocalories (280 kilojoules) of energy. Food composition tables ( see table) and food labels provide useful data for evaluating energy and nutrient intake of an individual diet. Most foods provide a mixture of energy-supplying nutrients, along with vitamins, minerals, water, and other substances. Two notable exceptions are table sugar and vegetable oil , which are virtually pure carbohydrate (sucrose) and fat, respectively.

The energy value and nutrient content of some common foods
food	energy (kcal)	carbohydrate (g)	protein (g)	fat(g)	water (g)
Source: Jean A.T. Pennington, Bowes and Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 17th ed. (1998).
whole wheat bread (1 slice, 28 g)	69	12.9	2.7	1.2	10.6
white bread (1 slice, 25 g)	67	12.4	2.0	0.9	9.2
white rice, short-grain, enriched, cooked (1 cup, 186 g)	242	53.4	4.4	0.4	127.5
lowfat milk (2%) (8 fl oz, 244 g)	121	11.7	8.1	4.7	17.7
butter (1 tsp, 5 g)	36	0	0	4.1	0.8
cheddar cheese (1 oz, 28 g)	114	0.4	7.1	9.4	10.4
lean ground beef, broiled, medium (3.5 oz, 100 g)	272	0	24.7	18.5	55.7
tuna, light, canned in oil, drained (3 oz, 85 g)	168	0	24.8	7.0	50.9
potato, boiled, without skin (1 medium, 135 g)	117	27.2	2.5	0.1	103.9
green peas, frozen, boiled (1/2 cup, 80 g)	62	11.4	4.1	0.2	63.6
cabbage, red, raw (1/2 cup shredded, 35 g)	9	2.1	0.5	0.1	32.0
orange, navel, raw (1 fruit, 131 g)	60	15.2	1.3	0.1	113.7
apple, raw, with skin (1 medium, 138 g)	81	21.0	0.3	0.5	115.8
white sugar, granulated (1 tsp, 4 g)	15	4.0	0	0	0

Throughout most of the world, protein supplies between 8 and 16 percent of the energy in the diet, although there are wide variations in the proportions of fat and carbohydrate in different populations. In more prosperous communities about 12 to 15 percent of energy is typically derived from protein, 30 to 40 percent from fat, and 50 to 60 percent from carbohydrate. On the other hand, in many poorer agricultural societies, where cereals comprise the bulk of the diet, carbohydrate provides an even larger percentage of energy, with protein and fat providing less. The human body is remarkably adaptable and can survive, and even thrive, on widely divergent diets. However, different dietary patterns are associated with particular health consequences ( see nutritional disease ).

Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on food.

Food is the basic human need to stay alive. Moreover, it is the need of every living organism . Therefore it is important that we should not waste food. Our world consists of different types of cultures. These cultures have varieties of dishes of food in them.

Thus, all the dishes have different taste. Furthermore, our nature provides us a variety of food. From fruits to vegetables, from Dairy food to seafood everything is available. Different countries have their own specialty of dishes. Therefore some of them are below:

World-famous Cuisines

Italian Cuisines – Italian cuisines is one of the most popular cuisines around the world. Moreover, it is widely available in our India too. Dishes like pizza, pasta, and lasagna own a special place in the hearts’ of people.

Furthermore, restaurants like Dominos and Pizza hut are available all over the country. People of every age love the taste of these Italian dishes. Also, Italian dishes are famous for their’ cheese filling. Every dish is load with cheese. Which enhances the taste of these Italian dishes.

Indian cuisine – Indian cuisine is always filled with a lot of herbs and spices. Furthermore, the specialty of Indian dishes is, it is always filled with curries. Whether veg or non-veg the dishes are in curry form. Moreover, Indian cuisine has so many varieties of food that has further branches. The Branch consists of Mughal cuisine which is mostly of non-vegetarian dishes. Also, almost every Indian love Muglia dishes.

Chinese Cuisine – Chinese cuisine in India is also very popular. There are many Chinese theme-based restaurants here. Moreover, in these restaurants Chinese are preferable chefs because they can only give the perfect Chinese blend. Chinese cuisines have a wide variety of dishes. Some of them are Chinese noodles, fried rice, Dumplings, etc. Dumplings have a different name here. They go by the name of momos in India and people love the taste of it.

These were some of the favorites of Indian people. Moreover, these are in almost every part of the city. You can find it anywhere, whether be it in 5-star restaurants or at the side of the street as street foods.

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Importance of Food in Our Life

We cannot deny the importance of food in our lives. As it is the basic need to survive. Yet some people waste not thinking that there are still some people that do not get any of it. We should always be careful while taking a meal on our plates.

In other words, we should take only that much that our stomach can allow. Or else there will be wasting of food . In India there are many people living in slums, they do not have proper shelter. Moreover, they are not able to have even a one-time meal. They starve for days and are always in a state of sickness.

Many children are there on roads who are laboring to get a daily meal. After seeing conditions like these people should not dare to waste food. Moreover, we should always provide food to the needy ones as much as we can.

Q1. Name any two different types of cuisines available in India.

A1. The two different types of cuisines available in India are Italian and Chinese cuisine. These are famous apart from Indian cuisine.

Q2. How can we not waste food?

A2. You cannot waste food by taking only a sufficient amount of it. Moreover, people should seal pack the leftover food and give it to the beggars. So that they can at least stay healthy and not starve.

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Food is one of the basic necessities of life. Food contains nutrients—substances essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes.

Biology, Ecology, Geography, Anthropology

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Food is one of the basic necessities of life. Food contains nutrients —substances essential for the growth, repair, and maintenance of body tissues and for the regulation of vital processes . Nutrients provide the energy our bodies need to function. The energy in food is measured in units called calories . Age, sex, weight, height, and level of activity determine the number of calories a person needs each day. Depending on age, sex, and activity level, the recommended daily caloric intake for a child aged 11 to 14 can range anywhere from 1,600 to 2,600 calories per day, with sedentary girls needing the fewest calories and active boys needing the most. For adults, this can range from 1,800 to about 3,000. Kinds of Nutrients Scientists divide nutrients into six major groups: carbohydrates , fats , proteins , minerals , vitamins , and water. Most foods contain all or most nutrient groups, in different amounts. Carbohydrates provide energy for the body. Nearly all the carbohydrates we eat come from plants. They include starches found in cereal grains and plants like potatoes and yams. Sugars , found in fruits , vegetables , and milk , are also carbohydrates . Sugarcane and sugar beets are grown specifically for their high sugar content. Many of the starches and sugars we eat have been processed into products, such as flour and corn syrup . These processed carbohydrates are used in cookies, cakes, breads, pastas, and pies. Fats provide more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates . They also help p rotect and insulate the body and its internal organs . Common fats include vegetable oils , such as soybean, cotton seed , and corn oil. They are used in cooking and in the processing of many foods . Fats that come from animal products include butter and lard . Eggs, milk , cheese, meats , poultry , and fish also contain high levels of fats . P roteins are the body’s chief tissue -builders. They help keep skin, bones, muscles, and blood healthy. P roteins also help regulate bodily processes , including transporting oxygen and nutrients into and out of cells ; the clotting of blood; and the formation of antibodies, which help fight disease . Animal products, such as beef, fish, poultry , eggs, and dairy products, are high in p rotein . Grains , nuts, and some beans are also p rotein -rich foods . Minerals and vitamins are called micronutrients because they are needed in very small quantities compared with carbohydrates , fats , and p roteins (known as macronutrients ). Minerals provide building materials for the body and help regulate its activities, much as p roteins do. Calcium and phosphorus build strong bones and teeth, iron contributes to healthy blood, and iodine helps keep the thyroid gland working. Vitamins help the body make full use of other nutrients by assisting the chemical reactions that make those nutrients work. For example, vitamin B1, or thiamine , helps regulate the release of energy from carbohydrates , promotes a healthy appetite , and aids the functioning of the nervous system . Vitamin D helps in the growth and maintenance of healthy bones. Other essentials for the body’s health include water, oxygen , and fiber . Some scientists include water in the list of basic nutrients . Water makes up more than half of a human body’s weight. It is involved in most body processes , such as the regulation of temperature, the transporting of nutrients into cells , and the elimination of waste products from cells . Oxygen is not a nutrient , since it is breathed in and not eaten, but it is essential to life. It permits the release of energy from food inside the body. Fiber is indigestible material found in most plant foods . It adds bulk to the diet , helping to keep the intestines healthy. Fiber -rich foods include whole grains , dried beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables . A healthy diet contains a balanced mix of different foods that together provide all essential nutrients . Malnutrition is the lack of a balanced diet . Too few nutrients , too many nutrients , or an imbalance of nutrients (too many carbohydrates , for instance, and not enough fruits and vegetables ) can lead to mal nutrition . Under nutrition is a form of mal nutrition . It is usually linked to hunger . Under nutrition happens when the body does not get enough food to meet its needs. Many diseases and even death are caused by lack of food . Death due to lack of food is called starvation . To get the right amounts of nutrients , people need to select from a range of food types: cereal grains ; fruits and vegetables ; legumes , meat , poultry , fish, and eggs; and milk and dairy products. A food pyramid outlines the suggested amount of these different types of foods people should eat each day. Cereal Grains Cereal grains are the edible seeds of certain grasses . People have grown them since the beginning of agriculture . Today, the most commonly grown grains are wheat , rice , and corn ( maize ). Other important grains are sorghum , millet , barley , oats , and rye . Worldwide, cereal grains are the most important food staples . They are eaten almost daily by large populations. They supply a significant percentage of the calories consumed by the world’s population. Cereal grains and the products made from them provide food not only for people, but also for livestock , such as cattle , chickens, and hogs. Throughout the world, more wheat is planted than any other grain . Wheat is the chief ingredient in most breads, cookies, cakes, crackers, pastas, and some break fast cereals . China, the United States, Russia, Ukraine, India, France, and Canada are major wheat -producing countries. Wheat , often eaten as bread, serves as the principal food grain for people living in regions with temperate climates . Rice , an Asian tropical grass , is a food staple for more than half the world’s population. More than 90 percent of the world’s total rice crop is produced and eaten in South and East Asia. Rice is also a food staple for people in parts of Africa and Latin America. This cereal grain thrives in a warm , humid climate with heavy rainfall or wet ground. It is often grown in flooded fields called rice paddies. Hominy grits , corn bread, pop corn , and tortillas are all made with corn . Outside the United States, this grain is called maize . Although native to the Americas, maize is now cultivated throughout most of the world and is a staple food in many areas. It grows in various soils and climates and at different elevations . American farmers produce over 30 percent of the world’s corn ; of that 40 percent, most of it is used to feed livestock . Corn is also used to produce sweeteners, such as corn syrup and cornstarch . Sorghum and millet are other grains commonly used as livestock feeds. These grains are also staple foods for people in parts of Africa and Asia, where they are used in breads, porridges , and cakes. Three other grains — barley , oats , and rye —are important in many regions. Barley thrives in a wide range of climates . One type of barley is the source of malt for making beer . Barley is also used in making vinegar , malt extract, and beverages similar to milk . Pearl barley , the most popular form of this grain , is often used in soups and other foods . Oats and rye were domesticated much later than other grains . Oats are used mainly as livestock feed, but also go into oatmeal and other break fast cereals . After wheat , rye is the second most common grain used as a bread flour ; the two are often mixed together in breads. Bread made with rye alone, called black bread , is popular in many European countries. Fruits and Vegetables The term “ fruit ” has several meanings. To a botanist , it means the part of a plant that contains seeds . According to this definition, fruits include most nuts, as well as vegetables , such as cucumbers and tomatoes. To most of us, though, “ fruit ” is defined as the soft, edible , seed -bearing part of a perennial plant. A perennial is a plant that lives for more than one growing season. Fresh fruits are rich in carbohydrates , vitamins , minerals , and fiber . They can be preserved by freezing, canning, or drying. Different fruits grow in different climates , and may not grow well in climates that are too cold, hot, dry, or wet. Based on the kind of climate in which they grow, fruits can be classified in different groups: temperate fruits , subtropical fruits , and tropical fruits . Temperate fruits grow best where there is a well-defined cold season, as in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Temperate fruits include apples, berries, grapes, pears, plums, and peaches. Sub tropical fruits thrive where temperatures are mostly warm year-round. The area around the Mediterranean Sea has a sub tropical climate . Citrus fruits , such as lemons, oranges, grape fruits , dates, pomegranates, and some types of avocadoes, are sub tropical fruits . Tropical fruits require a hot climate to grow. Tropical fruits , such as bananas, mangoes, and papayas, grow in hot, humid areas like the Philippines. Vegetables are the edible parts of herbaceous plants . Herbaceous plants , sometimes just called herbs , have stems that are softer and less woody than those of trees and sh rubs . Vegetables are good sources of fiber , minerals , and vitamins . Most vegetables are annuals , living for only one growing season. Vegetables can be roots , leaves, stems , seeds , or bulbs . For example, car rots , radishes, and beets are roots . Cabbage, celery, lettuce, and spinach are leaves or leafstalks . Heads of broccoli are flower stalks topped by thick clusters of flower buds. Asparagus is a stem . Cucumbers, eggplants, and tomatoes contain the seeds of the plant. Garlic, leeks, and onions are bulbs . Some plants, called tubers , have a special type of underground stem that can be eaten fresh as a vegetable or used as an ingredient in other dishes. In temperate regions, the most important tuber is the potato. The potato was first a food staple to indigenous cultures of the Andes of South America. Today, major potato-growing countries include Russia, China, and Poland. Important tropical tubers include yams, cassavas , and taros . These tubers are staple foods in many cultures . For instance, taro is a major food crop of the islands of Polynesia, as well as West Africa. Cassava is a staple food for more than 500 million people in Africa and Latin America. Legumes, Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs Legumes are plants that are raised for their edible seeds or seed pods. Peas, lima beans, soybeans, peanuts, and lentils are all legumes . Legumes that are harvested for their dry seeds , such as beans or lentils , are called pulses . Pulses are food staples in India and Pakistan. Legumes and pulses contain high amounts of p rotein . In addition, they supply iron , other minerals , and vitamins . The term “ meat ” usually refers to the edible flesh of mammals , such as cattle , pigs, and sheep. Meat is a high- p rotein food and is rich in other nutrients , as well. The United States, Australia, Russia, and Argentina raise much of the world’s beef cattle . Beef can come from cows , bulls , or steers . Cows are adult female cattle . Bulls are adult male cattle capable of reproduction. Steers are adult male cattle that have been castrated , or been made incapable of reproduction. Meat from very young cattle , or calves, is called veal . The world’s major hog producers include China, the European Union, the United States, Brazil, and Russia. Meat from hogs is called pork . Lamb is meat from sheep less than a year old. It is especially popular in the Middle East, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Mutton , meat from mature sheep, has a stronger flavor and a rougher texture than lamb. New Zealand and Australia are the world’s largest exporters of lamb and mutton . Bison , water buffalo, camels, g oats , and yaks are all sources of meat . Wild animals, such as rabbits and deer, are also eaten as meat . Meat from wild animals is called game . “ Poultry ” refers to domesticated birds that are raised for meat and eggs. Chickens are an important food source for most of the world’s population. Raising chickens is a major industry in many countries, including China, the United States, Russia, and across the European Union. Ducks, turkeys, geese, and guinea fowl are also raised for food in many parts of the world. Fish and shellfish are probably the most popular meats worldwide. Fish provide about 15 percent of all animal p roteins consumed by the world’s population. Fish and shellfish are ex cellent sources of vitamins and minerals . People eat fish raw or cooked, and preserve it by canning, freezing, drying, salting, smoking, or pickling. Most of the fish and shellfish people eat come from the ocean. Tuna is one of the most popular ocean fish. Other fish come from inland bodies of fresh water, such as lakes and rivers. Bass, perch, and carp are popular freshwater fish worldwide. An increasing amount of fish comes from fish farms, where fish and shellfish are raised commercially . The cultivation of fish and shellfish is called aquaculture . Clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimp are popular types of shellfish . Abalone, a kind of mollusk , is another type of seafood . Conch , a large type of sea snail, is eaten in the Florida Keys and in the West Indies. Eels, octopuses, squids, and mussels are other popular sea foods . Eggs are a source of p roteins , fats , minerals , and vitamins . Boiled, fried, scrambled, or deviled, chicken eggs are popular around the world. They are also used in a variety of baked goods. People also eat the eggs of other birds, such as ducks and quail, and those of reptiles , such as turtles and crocodiles. The eggs of certain fish, mainly sturgeon , are prepared as a delicacy known as caviar . Milk and Dairy Products Much of the world’s milk , cream, butter , yogurt , and cheese come from dairy cows . However, g oats , camels, reindeer, sheep, yaks, and water buffalo supply milk products as well. In much of Asia, people have traditionally consumed “ milk ” made from soybeans. Soy milk is made from soaking and grinding soybeans with water. Soy milk contains about the same p rotein as cow ’s milk . Milk and dairy products supply p roteins , carbohydrates , fats , and essential vitamins and minerals . The Maasai people of East Africa use milk as a staple food , and it constitutes a huge part of their diet . Yogurt , a fermented milk product, is a staple food in parts of the Middle East and India. Diet People’s diets vary from one country to another. Diets can also vary within a single country. Geographic differences explain part of this variation. For example, people who live near the ocean might eat greater amounts of fish than people who live farther inland. People living in cool regions with short growing seasons depend on crops that mature quickly, such as potatoes. In warm , wet lowlands where the soil retains water, rice is often a staple. Geographic factors are less important today than they were a century ago. Improved methods of agri culture and transportation , as well as increased trade and tourism , have made more types of food available to a wider variety of people. Improved methods of food processing , preservation, storage , and shipping allow many people to enjoy foods produced far from their homes. Spanish olive oil , French cheeses, and sardines from Norway, for example, are eaten as far away as Australia. Local traditions and customs play a role in determining what foods people eat and how they are prepared. English tradition encourages roast beef and Yorkshire pudding , a type of bread, be eaten together. Many Asians serve rice with almost every meal. Economic factors also affect what people eat. In the U.S. state of Maine, lobster is usually a relatively inexpensive food . The shellfish is native to the state’s coastal areas and has been a traditional food for hundreds of years. However, lobster is a luxury item in the Midwest, where it must be flown in. Lobster dishes served in Iowa may cost two to three times what they do in Maine. In developed countries, many people have enough money to buy a variety of nutritious foods . Mal nutrition is not a large problem, and people have a long lifespan. But even in these countries, there are many people who cannot buy these foods because resources are not evenly distributed throughout the population. In some places, healthy, nutritious food can be more expensive than so-called “ junk food ,” which has many calories but little nutritional benefit. Even those who can afford healthy food may eat poorly. The diets of many people in developed countries are too high in the fats , salt, and refined sugars found in junk food . These diets are too low in fruits , vegetables , and fiber . In developing countries, mal nutrition is more common. A poor harvest , flood , or drought may cause famine , because the community or nation is not economically able to import food . The diets of the urban and rural populations of developing countries are often quite different. People in urban areas eat more processed foods , while people who live in rural areas may have access to fresh milk , fruits , and vegetables . However, people living in rural areas are the first to be affected by a poor harvest . Food and Culture People do not eat only to obtain nutrients and ward off hunger and starvation . People’s eating habits are strongly influenced by culture . Rituals around preparing, sharing, and consuming food serve social roles as well as biological ones. Religion sometimes plays a role in what, and when, people eat. Followers of the Jain religion , for example, strongly believe in nonviolence to ward all living things. Strict Jains never eat meat . Many Jains also refrain from eating potatoes and other tubers because many small organisms are harmed as the tubers are pulled from the earth. Jewish kashrut law and Muslim dhabihah law outline many rules for eating. Both include a ban on pork . Food that is prepared according to kashrut law is called kosher , while food that is prepared according to dhabihah law is called halal . During the month of Ramadan , Muslims fast , or avoid eating, during daylight hours. Typically, Muslims will eat one meal before dawn and one after sunset, but nothing at all while the sun is shining. Ramadan is considered a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Feasting is also an important ritual , both for religious and nonreligious reasons. Most religious fasting periods, such as Ramadan , are followed by holiday feasts . Eid al-Fitr is the Islamic holiday following Ramadan . One of the ways Muslims celebrate Eid is to donate food to the poor. Nonreligious holidays often include feasts as well. In the United States, people gather to eat turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. In China, families celebrate the Chinese New Year with foods that symbolize luck and prosperity, such as long noodles, chickens, fish, oysters, dumplings, tangerines, oranges, and sticky rice cakes. Many people make dietary choices based on ethics —beliefs about what is right and wrong. For instance, some people choose not to eat meat out of concern for the env ironment . Livestock is one of the leading contributors to carbon emissions , and some people reduce the amount of beef they eat to reduce their “ carbon footprint .” Many people avoid eating meat out of concern for animal welfare . Vegetarians avoid eating all meat and fish. Vegans avoid all animal products, including eggs, milk , cheese, and honey. Some people who are not vegetarians may raise or buy humanely produced animal products such as free-range chicken and grass-fed beef . Other ethics -based food practices include choosing organic or locally grown foods . People who choose organic foods may do so because of the reduced number of chemicals in the food . Organic food relies little on genetic modification or pesticides . Organic food also releases fewer chemicals into the env ironment in the form of runoff . The “ locavore ” movement values the reduced env ironmental impact of local foods . There are fewer transportation costs, such as greenhouse gas emissions, with local foods . The way we serve and eat food is as culturally important as what foods we consume. In East Asian countries, most people use chopsticks to pick up their food . In Europe and the Americas, a variety of utensils serve different purposes. A full, formal place setting can include a salad fork, dinner fork, dessert fork, teaspoon, soup spoon, butter knife, and dinner knife. In other countries, such as India and Ethiopia, many foods are picked up with pieces of flat bread rather than utensils . Table manners vary widely from culture to culture . Manners include rules about how and where people should sit, when to begin eating, which utensils to use in certain situations and with which hand, and what behaviors might be considered rude. In East Asian countries, it is considered rude to point at people with your chopsticks , or to rest your chopsticks standing upright in your rice . In Malaysia, eating with your left hand is considered unclean. In Japan, it is acceptable and even encouraged to make slurping noises while eating hot noodles, but not while eating soup. In Russia, it is considered polite to leave a bit of food after eating, but in Brazil, people are expected to eat everything on their plates. Cuisine Food and food preparation associated with a specific region are known as that region’s cuisine . Cuisine can be national, such as the fresh fish and noodles associated with Japanese food . Cuisine can also be regional or local. California cuisine , for instance, is known for mixing different types of national cuisines , such as French and Chinese. A food ’s adaptability to a specific region can define that region. Maize , native to North and Central America, is considered one of Mexico’s greatest “national treasures.” An image of Xochipilli , the Aztec god of maize , appears on Mexico's 100- peso bill. Most cuisines feature staple foods of the region. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, boiled cassava root is a staple food . The large leaves of the cassava and a fiery pepper sauce called pili-pili are often part of a traditional Congolese meal. Fresh-picked bananas, papayas, and pineapples are frequently eaten. Animal p roteins from poultry , fish, and crocodiles are also popular foods in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Climate can also impact the cuisine of a region. Much of Russia faces cold winters, so few crops grow there. Warm soups are a large part of Russian cuisine . Borscht , or beet soup, is probably the most familiar Russian soup. Beets are vegetables that are capable of growing in the cold, hard ground. Grains that grow well in cold climates are also popular in Russian cuisine . Kasha , for example, is cooked grains , such as buckwheat , barley , or semolina . Blini , or buck wheat pancakes, are served with caviar , smoked fish, butter , and sour cream. Pickles , cucumbers, and onions are widely eaten. Since Japan is surrounded by the ocean, fish is a mainstay of Japanese cuisine . It is prepared in a variety of ways. Sashimi , for example, is raw fish dipped in seasoned soy sauce . Tempura is prawns or slices of fish and vegetables dipped in batter and fried. Most sushi is made from flavored rice covered with slices of raw or cooked fish and vegetables . Even non-native foods can define a region. Potatoes were introduced to Ireland in the early 17th century , probably by the explorer Sir Walter Raleigh , who brought the tubers home with him after exploring the Americas. Potatoes, especially the “ lumper ” variety, grow well in cold climates and rocky soil . Within 200 years, the population of Ireland was dependent on lumpers for most of their carbohydrates . A potato disease , or blight , struck Ireland in the mid-19th century , causing the so-called Irish Potato Famine . More than a million Irish people died of mal nutrition , and a million more were forced to immigrate . Often, cuisine reflects a country or region’s history. Pho , for instance, is a Vietnamese noodle soup made with large chunks of meat , vegetables , and spices, such as basil. Vietnam was a French colony from the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century . French colonists brought French cuisine with them, including the stew called pot au feu . Pho is an adaptation of pot au feu , with the most significant addition being rice noodles, which are native to Southeast Asia. “ Pho ” even sounds like “feu.” The growing number of immigrants in many cities has broadened people’s tastes in food . Many foods associated with national cuisines are inventions of immigrants. Chicken tikka masala , for example, is one of the most popular “Indian” dishes in the world. Chicken tikka masala was invented by an immigrant Pakistani chef in Glasgow, Scotland. Often, immigrants will adapt their traditional diet with foods not available in their homeland. Chinese-American food , for instance, often features tomatoes and potatoes, foods that are not native to Asia. Cuisine varies widely, even within a specific region and a specific food . In the Carolinas region of the United States, for example, there are more than a dozen types of traditional barbecue. In this region, pork is the most familiar barbecued meat , although chicken and beef are also barbecued. Some barbecues feature a mustard-based sauce, while others feature tomato, vinegar , or molasses . Still other traditional barbecues are “dry,” and feature spice-based rubs instead of sauce. World Food Supply Feeding the world population requires a massive supply of food . Since the late 1940s, grain supplies have fluctuated , but worldwide there has been a surplus , or more than enough food to feed everyone. Yet millions go hungry. Of the over seven billion people on Earth, more than one billion are undernourished , according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) . Each year, poor nutrition plays a role in about half of deaths of children under five years old. Why do so many people starve when the world produces enough food to feed everyone? One reason is that resources, such as farmland and money, are not evenly distributed among the world’s people. Many developed countries have millions of acres of fertile land. This huge agricultural economy allows nations like Canada, the United States, and Australia to have a strong food supply for consumption as well as export of grain , livestock , and produce. Most hunger is not the result of a lack of fertile land, however. Most hunger is the result of poverty . Many people in developing countries are too poor to grow or buy the food they need. Crisis situations contribute to hunger and starvation . Severe droughts , floods , and other natural disasters can create famines . In many developing counties, especially in sub-Saharan Africa , the population is growing faster than the rate of food production. In some countries, years of continuous war have severely disrupted food production. During conflicts, millions of people flee their homes, often leaving crops to rot in the fields. The region’s uncertainty and fear mean fewer crops are planted and cultivated . Food Aid These natural and manmade crises can lead millions of people to become dependent on international food aid . Food aid , usually in the form of grain and other starches , is distributed to either the government or local communities. Food aid can also mean money for people or governments to buy their own food . Food aid is controversial , for both recipients and donors . Some receiving countries are not allowed as much independence as they would like. Sometimes, food aid comes with restrictions or rules that might have little to do with food . The governments of countries donating food may disagree with the politics or decisions of the country receiving the food aid . Food aid may be reduced if the donating country disagrees with the receiving country’s politics , such as nuclear weapons development. Scientists debate the relationship between economic security and food security . Food security is the access a person, family, or community has to healthy foods . Growing food to export may increase a nation’s food security if the exports bring in more money to buy food imported from elsewhere in the country or abroad. However, access to food may be reduced, and the nation may become dependent on foreign food sources. To help solve the problem of hunger and increase local food production, farmers in many developing countries need economic assistance in acquiring new agricultural technology , such as tractors . Small-scale farmers may also benefit from healthy draft animals , such as water buffalo or oxen, which are used to operate machinery , such as plows . Agricultural technology also includes improved varieties of seeds . Seeds may withstand longer periods of drought or flood , or they may resist disease . Better transportation , communications sy stems , and storage facilities can help improve food distribution.

Foodies Foodies are people who are fascinated by food, food preparation, the food industry, and the culture surrounding food. Unlike professional chefs, cooks, or farmers, foodies do not usually have an economic interest in food. For foodies, food is a hobby.

Deadly Dish Fugu is a Japanese delicacy made from the meat of the pufferfish. The fish contains a deadly poison called tetrodotoxin. If fugu is prepared incorrectly, it can kill the people who eat it. So chefs need a special license to prepare the dish. In recent times, scientists have bred non-toxic pufferfish for fugu, so perhaps this fish will lose its risky reputation.

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Mass. is a national leader in keeping food waste out of landfills, study finds

Barbara Moran

Food waste to be processed at the Vanguard Renewables Organics Recycling Facility in Agawam. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Scientists and government officials increasingly recognize food waste as a major contributor to climate change. Across the globe, producing and disposing of uneaten food accounts for about half of the greenhouse gas emissions from the entire food system.

Massachusetts was among the first states to pass regulations curbing food waste, and according to new research published in the journal Science , it's the only state where the rules are working.

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Commissioner Bonnie Heiple said the state is proud to be recognized as a national leader.

"This has been a long time coming," she said.

In the United States, About 35% of food produced is never eaten . Much of it winds up in landfills where it gives off methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, as it decomposes. Methane emissions from Massachusetts landfills have the same climate impacts as about 116,000 cars on the road for a year.

To stem the flow of lettuce (and other food) to landfills, nine states and a handful of cities and towns have enacted food waste bans — laws and regulations that prohibit sending organic waste to landfills or incinerators.

Massachusetts was among the first five states to enact a food waste ban — the others were California, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont. Massachusetts' first food waste ban , enacted a decade ago, required any business producing more than a ton of food waste per week to keep it out of landfills or incinerators. Instead, businesses were told to divert edible surplus food to charities or food recovery services , and send food waste to compost facilities or anaerobic digesters that turn it into energy. Massachusetts enacted a stricter ban in 2022, lowering the threshold to a half-ton of food waste per week.

Sarah Anastasio cleans off a plate in the dining hall in Kimball Hall at the College of the Holy Cross. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

In the new study , researchers looked at data from five states from 2006-2018, the years with the best data available. They found that food waste bans had no effect in California, Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island during that time; only Massachusetts saw a significant decline — about 7% — in food waste sent to landfills and incinerators.

Massachusetts has continued to increase food waste diversion since then. Before the first ban took effect in 2014, the state was diverting about 100,000 tons of food waste from landfills and incinerators, according to state data. That number now stands at about 380,000 tons per year, a nearly fourfold increase.

"That downward decline in food waste has caused us to reduce our emissions — really slash our methane emissions from food waste — by more than 25%," said Heiple.

By 2030, the state's goal is to divert 780,000 tons of food waste per year.

The study's authors suggested three possible reasons for Massachusetts' success: simple regulations, affordable options for managing food waste, and stronger enforcement and monitoring than other states.

"These bans can work, and when they are successful, they can substantially reduce landfill waste," said Fiorentina Zoi Anglou, a PhD candidate at the University of Texas, Austin and a co-author on the study. "These laws are important, and they hold a lot of potential. But in order for them to be truly effective, they need more than just good intentions, they need careful implementation."

Vegan pepperoni being removed from its packaging before being processed at the Vanguard Renewables Organics Recycling Facility in Agawam. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Despite the high marks from researchers, environmental groups are pushing Massachusetts officials to do more.

A 2024 report from MASSPIRG and other environmental advocacy groups found the state fell 20% short of its food waste diversion goal in 2020. The authors noted the state will need to double its rate of organic waste diversion to meet its ambitious 2030 goal. The report suggested better public education, tax incentives for food donation and renewed investments in composting.

"We appreciate the efforts of the DEP," said MASSPIRG Executive Director Janet Domenitz, but she added, it's not enough. "We're still burying and burning over a million tons of food waste a year here, and that makes methane — the worst kind of contributor to climate change."

John Fischer, deputy division director for solid waste at MassDEP, said the state's 2030 goal is "aggressive." To reach it, he said, regulators will need to start focusing on food waste from homes.

"We're at a pivot point," he said. While continuing to divert commercial food waste, his department is beginning to shift attention to residents. "That will be proportionally more of our focus going forward."

Mass. has too much food waste. Increasingly, it's being used to make electricity
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Barbara Moran Correspondent, Climate and Environment Barbara Moran is a correspondent on WBUR’s environmental team.

The Future of Climate Research at the USGS – Our Climate Science Plan is Released

The new USGS Climate Science Plan provides guidelines for conducting the bureau’s climate science, sets priorities, goals, and strategies, and identifies outcomes as well as opportunity gaps

Photo depicting drought-related tree mortality in Sequoia National Park

On September 6, the USGS released the U.S. Geological Survey Climate Science Plan—Future Research Directions , the culmination of a two-year effort by the Climate Science Plan Writing Team. The team was charged with identifying the major climate science topics of future concern and developing an integrated approach to conducting climate science in support of the USGS, Department of the Interior (DOI), and administration priorities. The overarching purpose of the plan was to define the scope and delivery of critical climate science, identify future research directions, and outline opportunities to increase our climate science capacity and expand our research portfolio.

Coastal Flooding in Southern New England During a Storm Event

Climate is one of the primary drivers of environmental change and a priority in defining science conducted across all USGS mission areas. USGS climate science provides the nation with forward-looking, evidence-based information and approaches to assist in planning for and adapting to a changing world. For the first time, the USGS Climate Science Plan provides guidelines for conducting the bureau’s climate science, emphasizing the transdisciplinary nature of the work. The plan embraces co-produced science and Indigenous Knowledge, understanding that climate change disproportionately affects less resilient communities. And no science plan would be complete without focusing on clear, consistent, and equitable communication of our scientific activities. The guidelines acknowledge the USGS’s unique climate science niche within DOI and the federal government, the role our science plays in potentially informing policy, as well as the relevance of our research for the nation, our stakeholders, and our international partners.

The plan highlights three future climate science research directions: 1) characterizing climate change and associated impacts, 2) assessing climate change risks and developing approaches to mitigate climate change, and 3) providing climate science tools and support.

A man stands on the edge of a low cliff severely undercut by the ocean. Closer to the camera a chunk of coast has fallen off

Characterizing climate change and its impacts includes goals related to long-term, broad-scale monitoring, providing leadership on greenhouse gas emissions on DOI lands, collaborating with federal programs and other agencies to study climate impacts on ecosystems, and improving data synthesis both within the USGS and between the USGS and agency partners. Key goals related to assessing and reducing climate change risk include linking climate change impacts to risk assessments; reducing uncertainties in models and designing early warning systems; and creating decision support tools to inform and expand mitigation and adaptation measures, particularly through collaboration with land management agencies, use of nature-based solutions, or integration with federal greenhouse gas monitoring efforts. To provide climate adaptation services, the USGS’s goals are to facilitate co-production of knowledge, enhance data capabilities, build capacity through development of training curricula, and coordinate with other agencies.

Twelve specific goals are identified to achieve these future research directions and are supported by specific strategies and expected impacts and outcomes of research investments.

Conduct long-term, broad-scale, and multidisciplinary measurements and monitoring and research activities to define, quantify, and predict the impacts of climate change on natural and human systems .
Provide leadership to standardize measuring, monitoring, reporting, and verifying greenhouse gas emissions, lateral carbon fluxes, and carbon sinks across lands managed by the DOI.
Provide science capacity, training, tools, and infrastructure to Tribal partners; support Tribal-led science initiatives.
Conduct climate change research in partnership with the broader climate science community.
Develop improved data synthesis methods through collaborative and open science across mission areas and between the USGS and bureau partners.
Translate climate change impacts into risk assessments in support of risk management strategies.
Develop new and improved risk assessments, models, and approaches for mitigating climate change, adapting to its impacts, and reducing uncertainties; design early warning systems for risk mitigation.
Investigate climate change mitigation strategies and create decision-science support tools to inform climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Provide a framework that facilitates knowledge co-production needed to inform policy decisions.
Provide access to USGS data and information through novel integration and visualization approaches.
Build capacity within the USGS and DOI through development of scientific training curricula.
Coordinate science and capacity building efforts broadly across the federal government.

Image: Native Bee Pollinates Native Flower

To ensure successful implementation of the USGS Climate Science Plan, the authors outline numerous opportunities, including strategic planning for workforce development, the recruitment of the next generation of climate scientists, social scientists, and support staff, and investments in long-term scientific innovation across USGS mission areas. The plan also details the existing USGS climate science capabilities to demonstrate the breadth of our work, while also identifying capacity gaps.

By defining the USGS’s long-term climate science priorities, we can ensure that critical science themes and activities will continue and expand along with newly available data, innovative technologies, and evolving scientific and public information needs. This will position the USGS to continue to serve as one of the nation’s leading climate science agencies.

Special thanks to the members of the writing team for their contributions :

Tamara Wilson – Western Geographic Science Center

Ryan Boyles – Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

Nicole DeCrappeo – Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Judith Drexler – California Water Science Center

Kevin Kroeger – Wood Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Rachel Loehman – Alaska Science Center

John Pearce – Alaska Science Center

Mark Waldrop – Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Peter Warwick – Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center

Anne Wein – Western Geographic Science Center

Sarah Zeigler – St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

Doug Beard – National Climate Adaptation Science Center

Tamara Wilson Acting Assistant Regional Administrator, Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Research Geographer, Western Geographic Science Center

Doug Beard Director, National Climate Adaptation Science Center

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