Directories | Web | Images | Groups | News | Shopping | Local

Enter your search keyword(s):

 



(formerly Encyclopedic directory)
News and Media
Home / Top / Business / Food and Related Products / News and Media See also:
Related articles

Edit | Discuss Article

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
3 Food production or acquisition
4 Food preparation
5 Food trade
6 Food and health
7 See also
8 External links

Legal definition

Western food law recognises four categories of object as food:

Human eating habits

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

A selection of different complementary foods eaten together comprises a meal. People often choose to eat meals together with other family members or friends and this is seen as an important social occasion. Food eaten in smaller quantities between meals is regarded as snack food.

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.

Food production or acquisition

Food is traditionally obtained through
farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of subsistence locally important for some populations, but minor for others.

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

From animals

From neither animals or plants

Food preparation

Whilst some food can be eaten without preparation, many foods undergo some form of preparation for reasons of safety, palatability, or
flavour. At the simplest level this may involve washing, cutting, trimming or adding other foods or ingredients, such as spices. It may also involve mixing, heating or cooling, Pressure cooking, fermentation, or combination with other food. Most food preparation takes place in a kitchen.

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, .

Recipes

Human knowledge of
cooking and preparation methods is often taught by parents to their children, largely based on the cuisine within their cultural traditions. Since the development, of mass-produced printing, this has been supplemented by written recipes. Early examples of influential recipe books include De re coquinaria, Le Repertoire De La Cuisine, Larousse Gastronomique and Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.

See also: Wikipedia cookbook.

Food manufacture

Food manufacturing, or food processing, arose during the industrialisation era in the
19th century. This development took advantage of new mass markets and emerging new technology, such as milling, food preservation, packaging and labelling and transportation. It brought the advantages of pre-prepared time saving food to the bulk of ordinary people who did not employ domestic servants.

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.

Types of manufactured food

Food trade

Food is now traded on a global basis. The
variety and availability of food is no longer restricted by the diversity of locally grown food or the limitations of the local growing season. Between 1961 and 1999 there has been a 400% increase in worldwide food exports. Some countries are now economically dependant on food exports, which in some cases account for over 80% of all exports.

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 village market place. Here food was sold to grocers for sale in their local shops for purchase by local people.

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<
Source | Copyright


Webmasters: Add your website here:

Readers: Edit | Discuss Listings

The Packer Online
The weekly newspaper covering growing, shipping, distribution, marketing and trends in fresh fruits and vegetables in North America.
http://www.thepacker.com/

Asia and Middle East Food Trade Journal
Subscription information, on-line buyers guide, article index and trade leads from the AMEFT Journal.
http://www.ameft.de/

The Innovation Cafe
Innovative food and beverage trend tools and publications for manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators.
http://www.theinnovationcafe.com/

www.LebensmittelZeitung.com
International news from Germany for retail and fast-moving consumer goods industries including company rankings, profiles, studies, and e-commerce.
http://english.lz-net.de/trade/news/

Food Master
Catalog of companies providing products and services to food and beverage processors.
http://www.foodmaster.com/

The Globetrotting Gourmet
Portfolio of food stylist Robert Carmack includes articles and other samples of published items.
http://www.globetrottinggourmet.com

Fine Food Market
Foodservice business directory features supplier, manufacturer, and service listings in the New York Tri-State Area. Includes indexes and detailed vendor information.
http://www.finefoodmarket.com

Food Spectrum, LLC
Printed publications reporting on a variety of prepared refrigerated foods markets and technologies.
http://www.foodspectrum.com/publish.htm

Supermarket News
Trade publication for the supermarket industry. Contains news, trade show listings, and lists of the largest supermarket chains.
http://www.supermarketnews.com/

FoodPacific
Global food industry news and information with supplier sources for food and beverage manufacturers.
http://www.foodpacific.com

Food & Beverage Reporter
Articles covering the South African food and beverage industry, with a focus on inport and export opportunities.
http://www.developtechnology.com/pages/fbrindex.php

HeadlineSpot.com - Food Industry News
Links to the latest food and beverage industry headlines, trade publications, and events.
http://www.headlinespot.com/subject/industry/food.htm

Food e-News
Free e-bulletin service on science for the food and beverage industries delivered by e-mail and also available on the web.
http://www.rssl.com/food-e/food-e.asp

Fast Facts
Subscription-based service providing manufacturer press releases, market analysis tools and historic data for the UK food industry.
http://www.fastfacts.co.uk

National Barbecue News
News, recipes, products, and cooking contests for restaurants and barbecue enthusiasts.
http://www.barbecuenews.com/

Food Marketing Institute: Language of The Food Industry
Glossary of terms used in the food manufacturing, retail and supermarket industries.
http://www.fmi.org/facts_figs/glossary_search.cfm

Practical Winery & Vineyard Magazine
Print publication offering information on winegrowing, winemaking, and wine marketing. Some articles available online.
http://www.practicalwinery.com/

SLAMMED magazine
Print publication offering business know-how to restaurant owners and employees, with advertising space for suppliers.
http://www.slammedmagazine.com

IL Pesce
Trade publication for European aquaculture and fishery industries. In Italian. Focus on marketing and with database of European fish industry companies and operators.
http://www.ilpesce-online.com

Specialty Coffee Retailer
In-depth online magazine that's got the goods on the coffee industry. Online version of print magazine.
http://www.retailmerchandising.net/coffee/

Bakers Exchange
A monthly publication for the baking industry and associated vendors. Monthly recipe, links to trade-related web sites.
http://www.bakers-exchange.com/

Gourmet Retailer
Online magazine for the specialty food and kitchenware industries.
http://www.gourmetretailer.com/

Foodboss
Information for the food business owner, executive or manager. Articles on food safety, management and marketing.
http://www.foodboss.com/

FoodCom
Interactive business-to-business newspaper for professionals in the food and beverage industry.
http://www.foodcom.com/

WorldFoodNet.com
Extensive web based information source for the food industry. Industry news and discussion forums.
http://www.worldfoodnet.com/

Griffin Publishing Co., Inc.
Regional food trade publications covering grocery retailing and food service in the Northeast U.S. including The Griffin Report of Food Marketing and Yankee Food Service.
http://www.griffinpublishing.net

Pizza Marketplace
Pizza industry news and information for owners, operators, and suppliers. Provides feature articles, research, message boards, company showcases and classified advertising.
http://www.pizzamarketplace.com

Datamonitor Food and Beverages News
Datamonitors food and drinks industry news.
http://www.datamonitor.com/consumer/news/index.asp

Food Processing on the Web
Source for the latest technical and marketing news in the food industry.
http://www.foodprocessing.com/

Food And Drink Europe
Daily news on marketing food products and drinks for the supermarket industry in Europe including prepared and convenience foods, alcoholic and energy drinks, snack foods, soft drinks, and supermarket data.
http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com

Supermarket Alert
Provides information for those who sell to, compete against, or work with supermarkets in the US and worldwide.
http://www.supermarketalert.com

RestaurantEdge
Resource site for food industry professionals. Legal, regulations, news, trends, design, etc.
http://www.RestaurantEdge.com

Food Business Review
News, commentary, company and industry analysis for the food business.
http://www.food-business-review.com

Food Product Design
Online magazine for food and beverage industry news, product features, editorial library, subscriber information and media kits.
http://www.foodproductdesign.com/

Food Quality Magazine
Covering quality assurance issues for the food and beverage industry including technology, regulations and analysis.
http://www.foodquality.com/

Japanscan Food Industry Bulletin
English language source of information on the Japanese market for processed foods and drinks. New products news, market statistics, company profiles. Excellent source of information that is hard to find outside of Japan
http://www.japanscan.com/

Prepared Foods
The magazine of processed, packaged food and beverages.
http://www.preparedfoods.com/

Trade News Service
Publishes a weekly newsletter for the fats and oils trade. Daily prices and government reports are detailed in each report.
http://www.fats-and-oils.com/

Processed Food Industry
Processed Food Industry, a monthly magazine, contains articles about the latest development in the field of food processing.
http://www.pfionline.com

American Taste Magazine
Japanese-language trade publication with news, products and services from U.S. food and agriculture. Published in cooperation with the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office, Tokyo.
http://american-taste.bcentralhost.com/

Food and Service News Online
Industry trade magazine produced by the Texas Restaurant Assn.
http://www.restaurantville.com/fsn/

Food in Canada Magazine
The national business publication the Canadian food and beverage industry. Features a supplier directory.
http://www.bizlink.com/food.htm

Canmaker web site by the Sayers Group
Canweb is solid source of information on the metal packaging and rigid packaging filling industries. Home page for the Canner and Filler magazine.
http://www.sayers-publishing.com/canmaker/

Veg-Solutions
On-line vegetarian product marketing and sales resources for retail grocery executives, distributors, and manufacturers.
http://home.earthlink.net/~dpryor/veg-solutions/

Food Chemical News
On-line publication focusing on HAACP, food additives, food safety, regulations, and policy for food industry professionals.
http://www.foodchemicalnews.com/

Progressive Grocer
Supermarket industry publication includes articles, trade show calendars, stock quotes, and industry reports.
http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Winestate
Australia's national wine buying guide and magazine. Published bi-monthly. Includes reviews, tasting notes and informational articles.
http://www.winestate.com.au

Beverage and Food World Journal
Publication covering processed food and beverages industry in India including special issues featuring Buyer's Guides.
http://www.beverageandfoodworld.com

Pizza Marketing Quarterly
Restaurant and pizza industry publication providing operators with ideas, promotions and industry connections to improve sales.
http://www.pmq.com

Chefwhites
Online magazine with news, articles, features, jobs and information about chefs in the catering trade.
http://www.chefwhites.co.uk

New-Nutrition Business
Research, news and analysis of developments in foods, supplements, and nutraceuticals.
http://www.new-nutrition.com

Food for Thought: International Food and Drink Consultancy
Food, drink and beverage market reports on demand, supply, retail, foodservice, company profiles, market shares and brands in Europe and North America.
http://www.fft-international.com/index.php

Food Online
Online resources for the food and food processing industry. Includes sales and inventory management tools.
http://www.foodonline.com/

Food Trends Newsletter
Trends in the food and beverage industry: news, and consumer marketing tips.
http://www.foodtrends.com/

Worldbakers
Online magazine for bakers. Covering the requirements of bakers worldwide.
http://www.worldbakers.com/

California Wine and Food Magazine
On-line magazine about California food and wine, restaurant recipes, seasonal chef menus, wine reviews, culinary events, and food facts, for hospitality and the foodservice industry
http://www.californiawineandfood.com

AgReport
Commodity market news and analysis for grain, oilseed, livestock, poultry, dairy, and food ingredient industries. On-line access subscriptions available.
http://www.agreport.com/

The Meatingplace
Meat Marketing & Technology and Poultry magazines with daily news, industry links, supplier directories, and user forums.
http://www.meatingplace.com

Industry Bluebook
Detailed directory of suppliers to the hospitality and food service industry in New York. Free copies for industry members.
http://www.practika.net

Gourmet News
Business news for gourmet, natural food and kitchenware retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
http://www.gourmetnews.com

ReadyMealsInfo
On-line information for the ready-to-eat meals industry focusing on Frozen, Chilled and Ambient meals.
http://www.readymealsinfo.com

OnlyFoods
Worldwide directory of canned food manufacturers on CD Rom. Includes URLs and video.
http://www.onlyfoods.com

Agra Net
Information service providing reports on European and international agricultural policy, agribusiness, food, and the commercial fishing industry.
http://www.agra-net.com

Foods For Trade
Market place for food manufacturers, exporters, importers, and distributors. Provides free listings, e-mail, and news.
http://www.foodsfortrade.com

Urner Barry Publications, Inc.
Commodity market news reporting service reporting timely, unbiased price quotations and market conditions for the poultry, egg, dairy, meat and seafood industries.
http://www.urnerbarry.com/

Bridget About Food
List of publications, CV, and writing samples of editor, food writer, and home economist Bridget Jones.
http://www.bridgetaboutfood.co.uk/

Yahoo Food /Beverage Industry News
Summary of online press releases and financial information indexed by day of release.
http://biz.yahoo.com/news/foodbeverages.html

Food Manufacturing Magazine
Equipment technology magazines and product update directories for food manufacturing, production and packaging food executives.
http://www.foodmanufacturing.com/

MeatNews.com
News and events of interest to the meat processing industry, including archives of the print version Meat Processing Magazine.
http://www.meatnews.com/

Food Industry News - Topix.net
News on the food industry continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
http://www.topix.net/business/food

Topix.net: Food
News about food, collected from various sources on the web.
http://rss.topix.net/rss/business/food.xml



Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
 Submit a Site - Open Directory Project (modified) - Become an Editor

Modified contents copyright 2008. All rights reserved.