It has become popular to blame the American obesity epidemic and many other health-related problems on processed food. This book presents a more nuanced view of the benefits and limitations of food processing and exposes some of the tricks both Big Food and its critics use to manipulate us to adopt their point of view.
Postharvest A Systems Approach introduces a new concept in the handling of fresh fruits and vegetable. Traditional treatments have been either physiologically based with an emphasis on biological tissue or technologically based with an emphasis on storage and handling. This book integrates all processes from production practices through consumer consumption with an emphasis on understanding market forces and providing fresh product that meets consumer expectations. Postharvest physiologists and technologists across the disciplines of agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, food science and horticulture along with handlers of minially-processed products within the fresh produce fruit and vegetable processing industries will find this to be an invaluable source of information.
"Becoming a Food Scientist is designed as a reservoir of ideas for those beginning a graduate education in food science or beginning a professional career in the field. Although at times it may read as a how-to manual for success in graduate school, it is meant to encourage each reader to study the research process, to challenge conventional wisdom, and to develop a career path that maximizes the probability of success both in school and beyond. The author has viewed food science graduate programs through the lenses of programs at four universities and service in numerous activities with the Institute of Food Technologists. This book is thus focused on the field of food science, but it may have relevance to other scientific disciplines. The book introduces the concept of research as process in the first chapter. Subsequent chapters focus on individual unit operations of research: idea generation, problem definition, critical evaluation of the literature, method selection, experimental design, data collection, processing and analysis, and knowledge dissemination. Successful graduate students in food science must master each of these operations. The final section of the book pushes the reader beyond graduate school into its practice in the real world. Topics covered in the maturation of a food scientist include the scientific meeting, critical thinking, science and philosophy, ethics, finding and managing the literature, planning, grantsmanship, laboratory setup and management, and career development. This book should be a meaningful companion for any graduate student in the field and those transitioning from graduate school to the food science profession."--Page 4 of cover