I had always been a picky eater. Growing up, I found certain foods like crushed soybeans repulsive. Despite my parents’ encouragements to consume the dark green stew for its health benefits, I found the grainy texture and bitter aftertaste really off-putting. I’ve always wondered, “isn’t there a way to make food that is both healthy and delicious while accommodating someone with zero cooking skills like myself?” This question led me to study food science for my undergraduate degree. As a source of sustenance and a factor that influences us physically, emotionally, and culturally, food is such an integral part of our lives, and I decided it is the most practical target application for my passion for the sciences.
As an undergraduate, I assisted in Dr. Moraru’s lab processing samples of high pressure processed (HPP) milk proteins. While tedious, I still enjoyed the experimentation and data collection process. Discussions on structural changes happening to the milk proteins post HPP at the chemical level are intriguing, but I was still
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I did exactly that by immersing in a full-time position as a food industry analyst. I researched trends within the food industry and advised clients on decision-making surrounding emerging food and nutrition technologies. My background in food science prepared me to tackle projects such as measuring the feasibility of alternative sweeteners for sugar reduction of various products, evaluating the potential of applying microbial cultures or their metabolites as substitutes of chemical preservatives, and comparing different forms of active packaging that can deliver products with a clean label claim. The position allowed me the opportunity to better understand the food industry landscape, understand major drivers for innovations, and get a “big picture” idea of industry
This gap has lead people to become “passive consumers” that are ignorant towards the origin of their food, how it is produced, and their role in the modern food industry. Berry argues that the pleasure of eating cannot be known without understanding that eating is involved in the agricultural process. He urges people to look into where and how their food is produced and under what conditions. He asserts that food is now a product of industry meaning the food industry no longer cares about the quality of food and how healthy it is, but how much can be produced at a small price. Berry then gives seven suggestions that can help people eat responsibly and understand the pleasures of eating. By being active in our world and in how we eat, people can eat with the fullest pleasure by being connected with the world around them and eating with understanding and gratitude
In chapter thirty-two of the kitchen as laboratory, César Vega and David J. McClements discuss what it means to cook from scratch in the context of modern society. Vega begins the chapter by introducing the topic of the importance of knowing where our food comes from, and how it is modified into the ingredients we know today. Although consumers should know where their food comes from, Vega and McClements claim that the consumers should also educate themselves about the process of how food is transformed to provide a better understanding of their food. The authors cite Michael Pollan, an author who writes primarily about food. Pollan claims that consumers should purchase food with a limited number of ingredients, or ingredients that are easy to identify. The authors disagree with Pollan’s point, citing that some foods are enriched to make people healthier, and if the additives were removed there would be a impact on everyone’s health.
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan brings to light the food choices Americans make on a daily basis. In chapters 1, 2, and 3, of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Pollan addresses the issues related to food to enlighten the reader of America's poor food production processes and its unhealthy consequences. After informing the reader where food really comes from, he educates the reader about healthy food options that one should take on a consistent basis. Near, the end of the book, the author takes a look into the past to demonstrate how food used to be processed.
More and more studies have gone into how to eat healthier; and while many believe that they have the best idea to fix the issue there are few who actually know what they are talking about. David Freedman does not particularly have all the answers but he does have a good idea of what he thinks is right. His views may not be the best, but to him and many others the views that are embodied in his article are far superior ways to handle it than many others believe. The author believes that through technology we can create foods that are more appealing and more healthy. The main purpose of this essay is to analyze Freedman’s article and take a deeper look into how his beliefs, like the one stated in the previous sentence, are right or wrong.
People’s ability to assess certain courses of action brings about two distinct paths: it either hinders the person’s ability to gauge their surroundings or it enables them to see and act based on a completely new perspective. It is our seemingly competent nature, as generalists, that has led to the rise of the phenomenon known as the “national eating disorder.” Skewing food culture and trend patterns, we have come to trust in our natural aptitude for survival as a way to pave our way through sustaining nourishment while coming into terms with the opportunity costs that accompany all of our decisions. There is something about food that grabs people; it is the individual tastes and textures, the unique stories of each and every ingredient that is used to make food, and the smell of spices that brings familiarity that
The documentary Food Inc. is a great example of commercial farming. The purpose of commercial farming is to mass produce food and animals, to feed the community. The concept of commercial farming could also go along food security. The community needs to make sure that there is enough food to feed the growing population at all times. The problem right now isn’t that there isn’t enough food, but rather that there is too much food. The Tyson company produces all kinds of meat to feed people around the country, and when doing so they tend to overproduce. With this overproduction, we are left with expired animals that cannot be produced into food for consumption, and in turn, provide extra parts that aren’t useful or helpful.
Eating has profoundly impact and influence on individual life. We can tell where most people are going to end up in life simply based on the choice they made on food. the question of what to eat, when virtually every food known to man is at your fingertips. Should you go gluten-free? Vegetarian or vegan? How about low-carb, Paleo, dairy-free, or sugar-free?. Michael Pollen discusses in his article " The Omnivore’s Dilemma" a true understanding of what we eat and what we should eat. Pollan points out that alternative method of producing food that is being overshadowed by the big, industrial system we have in place to provide consumers with sustenance. Pollan brings people a closer look at the true nature of industrial food, he find that most
The essay “Eat Food: Food Defined,” by Michael Pollan was written to address the general public about the food industry. Originally published in his 2008 book In Defense of Food. Pollan uses relatable topics as examples, such as family, common food items, and common belief that everyone wants to be healthy. The essay brings across Pollan’s point by establishing his credibility, explaining why this is important to us, and telling us how to react to the given facts. Pollan makes the readers inquire how we define food by drawing our attention to the importance of examining our food before eating it.
Thinking about the importance and significance of food respective to our health, ethnic culture and society can cause cavernous, profound, and even questionable thoughts such as: “Is food taken for granted?”, “Is specialty foods just a fad or a change in lifestyle?”, and even “Is food becoming the enemy.” Mark Bittman, an established food journalist, wrote an article called “Why take food seriously?” In this article, Bittman enlightens the reader with a brief history lesson of America’s appreciation of food over the past decades. This history lesson leads to where the social standing of food is today and how it is affecting not only the people of America, but also the rest of the world.
In today’s society, most people plan their daily meals around their busy schedules. Food plays an important role in our lives and most just rely on fast food because it is quicker and easier. However, devouring fast food is one of the worst choices you can make. In order to maintain proper health and prevent numerous illnesses and diseases, consuming healthy homemade meals is definitely a more ideal choice. According to a recent study, “when people cook most of their meals at home, they consume fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and less fat than those who cook less or not at all – even if they are not trying to lose weight” (Wolfson). Because many people work full time and get home very late, people continue to eat it without being aware of how unhealthy it is for you and the health risks that it can eventually bring on. Based on the demand for quality food choices of today’s generation, it is important to compare and contrast the effects of preparing healthy, homemade meals versus relying on fast food restaurants for daily eats.
When studying food in its entirety: its classification, structure, and the way it’s utilized, it becomes obvious that food is closely tied to food-getting strategies; social, democratic, and political constitution; intimate ties of social relationships; ecological vigor and vitality; and the physical and mental wellness of an individual and group. Besides water, food is the most fundamental element of life that we need for our species to survive and thrive; everybody has an appetite for food. Food is a cultural artifact that is central to human life, identity, and bonds we share with our communities. As an artifact, food plays a significant and meaningful role in our everyday connections with “nature through culture,” that translates
Eating is essential part of our lives, and it is a necessity for human survival as it is for all other living species. While all living organisms need to eat to survive human race has more ways on how to satisfy their eating necessity. Two ways that humans can satisfy their hunger is by making a choice whether they prefer to eat out or stay at home and cook. Eating out has become popular trend in today’s society, especially among younger generations. With wide variety in delicious food offered, and chance to enjoy it with your loved ones, eating out has become primary choice for many busy adults. Eating at home gives us an opportunity to enjoy diverse food choices as well, and it can be also enjoyed with family and friends alike. Cooking is one of the oldest crafts that has been passed down from our older generations, and is still popular among many that enjoy preparing food at home. While eating out and eating at home are similar in variety of delicious foods offered, and chance to share it with our families and friends, nutritional health value choices are different for each of them. Eating out offers less control on nutritionally healthy food choices, and eating at home gives you more control on what kind of nutritional foods are we consuming.
Eating food is essential for all of us, it keep us alive and also gives us enjoyment at the same time. Food can be defined as any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue. (ilearn) In ancient time, when people feel hungry, they eat. However, as human history keep developing and evolving, we have a higher standard on choosing food that we like to eat nowadays. In this paper, we are going to evaluate factors that are influencing our food habits and food culture. Those factors can be divided into two main categories, internal factors (individual preference and values) and external factors (geographical, religion, social, economic and political).
The food industry has a large impact on individuals and will affect wider communities in the future. The rush of today’s society has pushed food production to become more commercialized with prepackaged/premade based foods. For numerous reasons such as time, work and costs of living, people are wanting meals that are cheap, fast, easy and don’t require much effort. This is due to many obligations and priorities in life that are put above
I have always enjoyed baking and cooking, as a result, I often bake with my family members. This means that I do have some prior knowledge of importance of nutritional values, convenience, safety and shelf life of foods. Food Science has actually been integrated into our everyday lives, and that is what makes it so appealing to me. The food industry is one of the largest industries in the world and I am eager to be part of this important industry, researching on how to produce food that is of better quality. Research that has previously been done by Food scientists have largely contributed to the higher quality of life experienced in many countries today, as compared to that of previous decades. To work with food is a heavy responsibility as people place their trust in those who produce the food they consume. I believe that it would be of great satisfaction for me to see a food