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Food

Food is any substance normally eaten or drunk by living things. The term food also includes liquid drinks. Food is the main source of energy and of nutrition for animals, and is usually of animal or plant origin.

The study of food is called food science. In English, the term food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in food for thought.

Table of contents

1 Legal definition 2 Human eating habits 2.1 Historical development 2.2 Meals 3 Food production or acquisition 3.3 From plants 3.4 From animals 3.5 From neither animals or plants 4 Food preparation 4.6 Recipes 4.7 Food manufacture 4.7.1 Types of manufactured food 5 Food trade 5.8 Food retailing 6 Food and health 6.9 Food sufficiency 6.9.2 Food aid 6.10 Food safety 6.11 Dietary habits 6.12 Nutrients in food 7 See also 8 External links

Legal definition

• any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be, or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans whether of nutritional value or not;
• water and other drinks;
• chewing gum;
• articles and substances used as ingredients or components in the preparation of food.
  • US federal definition of food
  • UK definition of food
  • EU definition of food

Historical development

Humans are omnivorous animals that can consume both plant and animal products. We changed from gatherers to hunter gatherers. After the experience of the Ice Age it is probable that humans wanted to create some feeling of security by controlling what plants were growing and which animals were available. This led to agriculture, which has continually improved and altered the way in which food is obtained.

Meals

The number of meals in a day, their size, composition, when and how they are prepared and eaten vary greatly around the world. This is greatly dependent on the local climate, ecology, economy, cultural traditions and industrialisation. Meals also plays an important role in the celebration of many key cultural and religious festivals.

In societies where the availability of food has risen above subsistence levels and beyond staple foods, food is also sold pre-prepared for immediate consumption in restaurants and other similar retail premises. In industrial societies, meals often contain a higher proportion of food of animal origin.

See also: Appetite, Buddhist cuisine, Eucharist, Fast food, Fasting, Gault Millau restaurant guide, Halaal, I-tal, Kashrut, Michelin restaurant guide, Muslim dietary laws, Potluck, Totemism.

In the modern era, in developed nations, food supply is increasingly dependent upon agriculture, industrial farming and fish farming techniques which aim to maximise the amount of food produced, whilst minimising the cost. These include a reliance on mechanised tools which have been developed, from the threshing machine, seed drill, through to the tractor and combine harvester, etc. These have been combined with the use of pesticides to promote high crop yields and combat those insects or mammals which reduce yield.

More recently, there has been a growing trend towards more Sustainable agricultural practices. This approach - which is partly fuelled by consumer demand - encourages biodiversity, local self-reliance and Organic farming methods.

Major influences on food production are international policy, e.g. the World Trade Organization and Common Agricultural Policy, national government policy or law and war.

Food for livestock is fodder and traditionally comprises hay or grain.

See also: mariculture, horticulture, agribusiness, gardening.

From plants

• Grasses and their grains, including including barley, cereals, couscous, corn or maize, oats, rice, rye, sugarcane, wheat
• Fruit, see also list of fruits
• Herbs, see also list of herbs and spices
• Legumes, including beans, peas, lentils, jicama
• Nutss
• Seeds
• Spices, see also list of herbs and spices
• Vegetables, see also list of vegetables

From animals

• Dairy products, including milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Insects, including honey
• Meat, including beef, frogs' legs, gaegogi, goat, horse, kangaroo, lamb, mutton, pork, veal, human (i.e. cannibalism)
• Offal, including blood
• Poultry, including chicken, turkey, duck, goose, pigeon or dove, ostrich, emu, guinea fowl, pheasant, quail
• Seafood, including mollusks and crustaceans, which are collectively known as shellfish
• Game, this includes all animals hunted for food.

• Water, including mineral water and spring (water)

The preparation of animal-based food will usually involve slaughter, evisceration, hanging, portioning and rendering.

See also: Barbecue, Eating utensils, Frankfurt kitchen, Hangi, Oven, Microwave oven, Refrigeration, .

See also: Wikipedia cookbook.

At the start of the 21st century, a two-tier structure has arisen, with a few international food processing giants controlling a wide range of well known food brands; with a populous number of small local or national food processing companies.

See also: Best before, Canning, Coloring, Food quality, Cook/chill, Additivess, Flavoring, Enzymes, Genetically modified food, Packaging and labelling, Pasteurization, Preservation, Shelf-life, Ultra-high temperature processing.

• Drinks: beer, juice, soft drink, squash, liquids.
• Bread is a staple food for many nations, being made of risen dough.
• Cheese is a curdled milk product, of which many varieties exist.
• Dessert is a course, usually sweet, and generally served after the main course, e.g. Ice cream.
• French fries
• Pasta
• Pizza
• Sandwich
• Salad
• Sauce
• Sausage
• Snack food: Confectionery, Potato chips, Chocolate, Cracker (biscuit), Hardtack
• Soup
• Sugar

In 1994 trade liberalisation began when over 100 countries became signatories to the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade which included an agreement to reduce subsidies paid to farmers. This is underpinned by the WTO enforcement of agricultural subsidy, tariffs, import quotas and settlement of trade disputes that cannot be bilaterally resolved. Where trade barriers are raised on the disputed grounds of public health and safety, the WTO refer the dispute to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which was founded in 1962 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization.

Food retailing

The sale of surplus food traditionally took place once a week when farmers took their wares on market day, into the local

With the onset of industrialisation, and the development of the food processing industry, a wider range of food could be sold and distributed in distant locations. Typically early grocery shops would be counter-based shops, in which purchasers told the shop-keeper what they wanted, so that the shop-keeper could get it for them.

In the 20th century supermarkets were born. Supermarkets brought with them a self-service approach to shopping using shopping carts (or Trollies in British English<
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