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History of Food Science
FCS-FS-1a: Define the study of food science and summarize how food products and processing methods have changed in modern history due to contributions of food scientists.
FCS-FS-1b: Describe the history of the development of food and food systems emphasizing the transition from hunting and gathering to farming and then to market-based societies.
History of Food ScienceThe history of food can be broken into three broad
periodsThe first period focuses on food discoveries of early
peopleThe second period began with the invention of
modern machines and the development of mass production processes
The third period is marked by government regulations to keep the food supply safe.
Early Food DiscoveriesThroughout most of history, people
have eaten whatever has been naturally available in the areas where they lived
Through experimentation, people discovered which plants were tasty and safe to eat
Variety was limited by location and seasons
Early Food DiscoveriesCivilizations formed where water,
game, and land would provide abundant food supplies
Men often hunted and fished for the meat portion of the diet
Women and children searched for fruits and nuts
Early Food DiscoveriesChanging seasons required people to
identify foods they could store for cold months when plants would not grow
Gradually, foods that were favored because of their keeping qualities were cultivated and farming beganwheat, oats, rye, barley, corn
People also looked for ways to extend the storage life of foodsDrying foods
The Industrial RevolutionMuch of the food you eat is prepared and
preserved in ways that have been used for hundreds of years
Through trial and error, people learned techniques that would preserve foods, but they did not know why these techniques worked
It was not until the 1700s that tools and procedures for understanding the “whys” came into being
The Industrial Revolution
The microscope was improved in the early 1800s
As a result, scientists began to understand bacteria and their effects on food spoilage and human health
The Industrial Revolution
Along with advances in scientific knowledge, the late eighteenth century brought major changes in the economy
These changes were the result of the harnessing of steam and coal power and the development of power-driven machines
The Industrial Revolution
The use of steam and coal power sources enabled machines to do the work of many people
In the 1830s, the invention of such farm machinery as the thresher, reaper, and steel plow increased food production
The invention of specialized factory equipment sped food processing procedures
These developments led to the start of many food processing companies
The Industrial Revolution
Ingredients began to be developed to make food manufacturing more profitableBaking powder was mass-produced in
1856Commercial yeast became available in
1868Self-rising flour was first marketed in the
1890s
The Industrial Revolution
World Wars I and II encouraged the development and acceptance of a number of food products
Some convenience foods were developed first for the military
However, the majority of consumers initially snubbed these early convenience foods, considering them vastly inferior to homemade products
The Industrial Revolution
As a result of World War II, many women entered the workforce to replace men who had enlisted in the armed services
These women had less time for food preparation
Thus, the demand for foods that could be prepared easily increased
Wartime rationing of sugar and butter made it difficult to have ample supplies for home baking
These two factors fostered the popularity of mixes that had been poorly received by consumers in the 1930s
Government Regulation of the Food IndustryAs with most new developments, the
commercial mass production of food led to some problems
Government regulation was needed to address these problems
This has resulted in the consistent, economic, and convenient food supply you enjoy today
Early Government RegulationBefore the 1820s, the main concern regarding
food safety was spoilage
With the arrival of mass food production and canning in the 1820s, adulteration became a widespread problem Adulteration is a lowering of the quality and safety
of a product by adding inferior or toxic ingredients
Adulterated Food ProductsThe following are a few nineteenth and
early twentieth century examples:Ground pepper contained gravel, leaves, and
twigsVinegar was diluted with sulfuric acidCoffee contained roasted grain, scorched
beans and peas, and baked horse liverMilk was water down or had chalk, starch,
gelatin, or borax addedSugar contained sand, dust, and lime
Early Government RegulationA number of factors probably
contributed to tampering with food ingredients
These included centralized food processing, greed, and declining personal accountability
Early Government RegulationThe United States Department of
Agriculture was established in 1862 to oversee food production and agricultural research
However, the chemistry division was given little authority to monitor or enforce the safety of the food supply
Government RegulationsThe FDA now has a bases for developing
recommendations for safe food handling
These recommendations are published in the FDA Food Code
This reference is available to anyone seeking information on how to prevent foodborne illnesses
Restaurants, grocery stores, and institutions such as schools and hospitals use the Food Code as a guide to handling food safely
Government RegulationsThe FDA controls the use of pesticides
on food crops and additives in processed foods
They have set food labeling guidelines and created standards for the safety and wholesomeness of food products
Government RegulationsThe USDA is responsible for the
inspection of meat and poultry products shipped across state lines
They also mandated a system to ensure the safety of the meat and poultry industry
Watchdog GroupsThere are organizations called
watchdog groups that observe and report scientific developments, policy, and legislation related to the food industrySome are nonpartisanOthers have agendas that are political in
nature and may be biased in reporting
Watchdog GroupsThe International Food Information
Council (IFIC) was founded in 1985
They define themselves as a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide information to professionals who communicate with consumers regarding science-based information on agricultural industries
Watchdog GroupsThe American Dietetic Association
(ADA) is a professional association of nutritionists and nutrition research scientists that report summaries of current research on food related topics
Watchdog GroupsThese types of organizations can help the
public make sense of conflicting reports in the media
Although the information is available to the general public, these groups focus on providing information to professionals and educators
Food LabelingAnother area of government regulation is food
labeling
The U.S. Congress has established guidelines that all food manufacturers must follow to market their products
These guidelines are intended to help protect consumers from food fraud and mislabeling
The guidelines are also designed to help keep consumers informed about the nutritional content of food products
Food LabelingThe Nutrition Labeling and Education
Act of 1990 restricted the use of nutrition claims on food labels
It defined terms like low fat and fat free
This act let to the standardized Nutrition Facts panel that appears on food labels
Food LabelingFood scientists are required to analyze and
properly label food products
To develop a label that meets federal guidelines, a food scientist must:Understand the FDA and USDA regulations
regarding manufactured foods and their labelsCarefully analyze all ingredients in a food item
by nutrient categoryAccurately calculate ingredients and nutrientsKeep thorough records that support labeling
information
Food LabelingFood manufacturers that fail to follow
government regulations may have to pay large fines
They may also face expensive recalls of food products or forced closing of production plants
Recent Developments: Expanded Food Supply
One of the most urgent jobs of food scientists is to develop foods for hungry people throughout the world
Research is being conducted to develop safe, tasty, nutritious, low-cost foods to meet the needs of these peopleIncaparinaAmaranth
Recent Developments: Expanded Food SupplyAnother way food scientists are working to
meet the needs of hungry people is to improve crop yields
Agricultural researchers are trying to develop new varieties of many food crops
They want to raise crops in regions where no crops would previously grow
Recent Developments: Expanded Food SupplyResearchers are looking at raising
hydroponic crops Hydroponic crops are grown with their
roots suspended in liquid nutrient solutions
Tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce grow well in this environment
Recent Developments: Expanded Food SupplyBiotechnology is an area of research
that relates food science and agriculture
Biologists use technology to change a plant’s genetic makeup
Recent Developments: New Food ProductsIn areas where food is abundant, food
scientists focus more on factors that affect the safety, cost, and quality of food products
Variety, ease of preparation, and nutrition are other factors food scientists study
Recent Developments: New Food ProductsThey are trying to meet consumers’
demands for inexpensive, tasty dishes that can be prepared and served quickly
Many food scientists are at work developing substitutes for natural ingredientsExamples include sugar and salt
substitutes, nondairy creamers and toppings, and fat replacers
Recent Developments: New Food ProductsFood scientists have been involved in
developing food analogs
These are natural or manufactured substances that are used in place of foods or food components
Recent Development: New Processing TechniquesSome of the food products designed to meet the
needs of today’s busy consumers are highly processed
Often, complex alterations make a food product quite different from its original source
These products can result in products that look and taste totally different
Food scientists are involved in developing production processes to achieve food products with the desired flavors, textures, and nutrient values
Development of International Regulation
The increase in food exports and imports has led to a need for international food standards
Many food scientists are at work creating guidelines food producers all around the world can follow
TimelineLouis Pasteur, Clarence Birdseye, Charles Beck,
Milton Hershey, Henri Nestle, or Nicholas Appert
