Food: A Very Short Introduction

Description

Drawing on a mixture of science and history, Professor Lord John Krebs looks at the development of food and the four great transitions that affected the way we eat. From issues such as the obesity crisis and sustainable agriculture to food scares and the role of new technologies, Krebs provides a fascinating exploration of the history of human food.

• Includes a brief history of human food and examines the four great transitions of food development
• Considers the various biological senses involved in food
• Looks at the reasons why people like some food and not others - including the genetic influences and role of learning and culture
• Separates myth from the fact about food safety
• Considers the reasons for the obesity epidemic and what can be done about it
• Explores the future of food security in an ever-growing worldwide population

About the Author(s)

John Krebs, Principal, Jesus College, Oxford

Professor Lord John Krebs is the Principal of Jesus College Oxford. He has held positions at the University of British Columbia, University of Wales Bangor and Oxford University, where he was a Royal Society Research Professor from 1988-2005. Between 1994 and 1999 he was Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council and from 200-2005 he was the first Chairman of the UK Food Standards Agency. He is an independent cross bencher in the House of Lords, where he chairs the Science and Technology Select Committee. He also chairs the UK Climate Adaptation sub-committee and is a Trustee of the Nuffield Foundation.

Table of Contents

1:The Gourmet Ape
2:I like it!
3:When Food Goes Wrong
4:You are what you eat
5:Feeding the 9 billion
Further Reading
References

Reviews

"excellent book" - Financial Times

"A necessary contribution to the field." - Times Literary Supplement