Food science

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellnesspedia

Food science is the study of the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food; the causes of food deterioration; and the concepts underlying food processing. It is a multidisciplinary field involving chemistry, biochemistry, nutrition, microbiology and engineering to understand the complex nature of food.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Food science brings together multiple scientific disciplines. It incorporates concepts from fields such as chemistry, physics, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry. Food science is the production, processing, preparation, evaluation, and utilization of food.

History[edit | edit source]

The scientific study of food and its preparation dates back to at least the 18th century. The first food scientist known by name was Nicholas Kurti, a Hungarian physicist and food enthusiast.

Food Chemistry[edit | edit source]

Food chemistry is the study of chemical processes and interactions of all biological and non-biological components of foods. It is similar to biochemistry in its main components such as carbohydrates, lipids, and protein, but it also includes areas such as water, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, food additives, flavors, and colors.

Food Microbiology[edit | edit source]

Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food. This includes the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage; as well as, pathogens that may cause disease especially if food is improperly cooked or stored.

Food Technology[edit | edit source]

Food technology is the technological aspects of food science. Early scientific research into food technology concentrated on food preservation. Nicolas Appert’s development in 1810 of the canning process was a decisive event.

Food Processing[edit | edit source]

Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for the consumption of humans and animals.

Food Quality[edit | edit source]

Food quality is an important food manufacturing requirement, because food consumers are susceptible to any form of contamination that may occur during the manufacturing process.

Food Safety[edit | edit source]

Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent food-borne illness.

See Also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


Food science Resources
Doctor showing form.jpg
Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.


Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD