In Defense of Food Science

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
david julian mcclements ◽  
césar vega ◽  
anne e. mcbride ◽  
eric andrew decker
Keyword(s):  
Heart Disease ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Food Science ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
Obesity Hypertension ◽  
Animal Care

There is currently a heated debate about the role of food processing, and the science and technology that supports it, with many food activists strongly opposing any kind of processed foods. We acknowledge that there are problems associated with the modern diet in many developed countries, such as diet-related diseases (e.g., obesity, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer), pollution, animal care, and sustainability. However, we argue that the application of science and technology to foods must play a role in addressing these problems and that food processing does bring many benefits to society, such as increasing the diversity, quality, and accessibility of foods, while reducing their costs. If societies overall goal is to improve the quality, sustainability, and healthfulness of the food supply, then it is important to acknowledge both the positive and negative roles that food processing can play, and then to use science and technology wisely as one of the tools available to address these issues.

Reflections on the Role of Science and Technology in Development

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-93
Author(s):  
Thomas F. Malone
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Nongovernmental Organizations ◽  
International Symposium ◽  
Third World ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Cooperative Action ◽  
International Nongovernmental Organizations ◽  
Industrialized Nations

The International Symposium on Science and Technology for Development, held in Singapore from 22–26 January 1979:(1) Demonstrated that cooperative action could be taken by international nongovernmental organizations which are concerned about the role of science and technology in the UN Conference on Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD);(2) Caused a coalescing of these concerns in a commitment to bring the resources of science and technology to bear on Third-World problems;(3) Resulted in a strengthened commitment to revitalize the patterns of cooperation of nongovernmental scientific and technical (S&T) organizations to expand their ties to intergovernmental agencies; and(4) Led to an advised framework of action involving four groups, proposing: a) a network of institutions in developing countries to identify problems from the perspective of the developing countries themselves; b) a ‘switching mechanism’ in the nongovernmental sector to link the less developed countries (LDCs) with the resources of scientific and technological talent in industrialized nations; c) a multiplication of the collaboration of donor institutions; and d) a revitalization of the UN system for due application of S&T to development, accompanied by a more active working partnership with international nongovernmental organizations.

scholarly journals Sustainability and ultra-processed foods: role of youth

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepanshi Gupta ◽  
Purnima Khanal ◽  
Maria Khan
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Food Processing ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Processed Food ◽  
Food Processing Industry ◽  
Processing Industry ◽  
The People

The objective of this research is to study and look at the ways how processed food affects human and environmental health and to find alternatives to processed food.  Sustainability refers to the efforts made to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfil their requirements. Sustainability aims at environment-friendly progress and development. World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  Processed food is any food that has been changed in its form and nature by using certain processing techniques such as freezing, canning and dehydrating. The focus of this research is “ultra-processed foods”. Ultra-processed foods are the final food product that is processed by using chemicals and unnatural preservatives.  As defined by the United Nations, youth refers to the young people who fall in the age group of 15-24 years.The problem: ultra-processed foods and its impact on human and environmental wellbeing. The food processing industry is largely driven by profit-making objectives owing to the intense competition in the market. The manufacturers of food processing have to ensure that they don’t lose out their customers to their competitors. To maintain their consumer base the manufacturers work to make their processed food desirable and attractive. In the process, they resort to the usage of such products that are unnatural and unhealthy for both the human body as well as the environment. Some of the examples of such ingredients include chemicals used for preserving, colouring, and adding texture and flavour to the natural food, refined carbohydrates, sweeteners, and processed vegetable oils.Due to the use of above-mentioned ingredients, the consumption of ultra-processed foods becomes harmful to the human body. It has been found out through research that their consumption does not add any nutritional value to the human body. Moreover, it becomes very difficult for the human body to digest ultra-processed foods. Some people become addicted to such food and it has been studied that some food products are more addictive than drugs. Apart from this, the intake of the ultra-processed foods increases the instances of several diseases such as heart ailments, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.Processed food also impacts the natural environment. The waste generated after the processing of the food and the handling of the waste affects the air, water and soil. The process of handling and packaging of the product results in the release of harmful chemicals and toxins in the environment. This not only affects the natural environment but also human health. The solution to this problem is to create awareness about the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods and to promote sustainable alternatives to it. The youth can play a very important role in spreading awareness about the ill-effects as well as the alternatives to the ultra-processed foods. The sample of our study is the young consumers of ultra-processed foods of the University of Delhi. This is because the youth is the largest consumer of the ultra-processed foods and they can work towards promoting more sustainable and healthy food choices and habits amongst people. The research questions are: 1) What are the different kinds of ultra-processed foods that are consumed by people? 2) How does the food processing industry work? 3) How can the youth be made aware about the ill-effects of ultra-processed foods? 4) What are the sustainable alternatives to ultra-processed foods? 5) What role youth can play in promoting sustainable alternatives? The hypothesis are: 1) Ultra-processed foods affect the environment and human well-being negatively. 2) The youth can play a positive role in promoting alternatives to ultra-processed foods.The research methodology, is the theoretical and empirical analysis of the study. The nudge theory would be applied to understand how alternatives can be promoted by the youth. Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein introduced the concept of nudging and defined a nudge as “any aspect of the choice, architecture that predictably alters people’s behaviour without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.” It doesn’t mean restricting the options available to the people but it means regulating their behaviour. The questionnaires and surveys to assess the consuming habits of the people and the use of pictorial and graphical representation of the data collected through the surveys and questionnaires are used. Despite the study focuses on the role of the youth, the surveys were conducted with youth as well as adults to make the study more inclusive and comprehensive.

Cardiovascular disease and trace metals

1979 ◽  
Vol 205 (1158) ◽  
pp. 135-143 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Trace Metals ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Environmental Lead ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cadmium And Lead

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the U. K. and other developed countries. In the U. K., mortality from coronary heart disease has increased progressively over the past 25 years, particularly in males. This paper examines the possible role of trace metals in the development of cardiovascular disease, with particular reference to the effects of cobalt, cadmium and lead in myocardial disease, atherosclerosis and hypertension. It is concluded that cobalt is an unimportant factor in community levels of cardiovascular disease, that cadmium has striking effects on blood pressure in animals and that there is some evidence for an association between environmental lead and high blood pressure.

Emerging Technologies in the Area of Food Sciences

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Natarajan Gopalan
Keyword(s):  
Food Processing ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Standard Of Living ◽  
Food Science ◽  
Food Technology ◽  
Harvest Management ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
The Government ◽  
Modern Era

<p>In the modern era, world has experienced tremendous boost in the field of food science and technology, realising its impact on the economic growth and people’s standard of living. India is using its newer technology for food processing in the field of science and technology. We are among the world’s top nations in the number of scientific publications and patents in food technology. The government has made considerable investment and is encouraging public-private partnership to achieve self-reliance in different agricultural sectors. It has a strong presence in the field of biotechnology, particularly related to agriculture technology, including pre- and post-harvest management, processing technology etc. </p>

scholarly journals The role of food science and technology in humanitarian response

2020 ◽  
Vol 103 ◽  
pp. 367-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Bounie ◽  
Jayashree Arcot ◽  
Martin Cole ◽  
Florence Egal ◽  
Pablo Juliano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Food Science ◽  
Humanitarian Response
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