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Any member of the grass family (Poaceae or Gramineae) that produces edible grains usable as food by humans and livestock. Cereals are important cultivated crops. Common cereals include rice, wheat, barley, oats, maize (corn), sorghum, rye, and…

An evergreen shrub or small tree, particularly Cinnamomum verum, and the spice obtained from the plant's bark. The cinnamon plant (see illustration) is a member of the laurel family (Lauraceae) in the order Laurales. Native to Sri Lanka, the…

Optical instruments that establish an optical line or axis for the purpose of aiming a weapon. The axis includes the observer's eye, a suitable mark in the instrument, and the target. For a pistol, the traditional iron sights employ a rear notch and…

Weapons that arm warships. Of the wide variety of such weapons, three important categories are exclusively naval: antiship missiles, torpedoes, and mines. Other weapons all correspond to land-based types, but submarine-launched ballistic missiles…

Vegetables that are prevalent in Asian cuisines, but less well known in Western diets. Asian vegetables (Fig. 1), also referred to as Asian greens or oriental vegetables, are very important in Asian countries, but are not as popular in North America…

A white, crystalline compound, 1-aspartyl-1-phenylalanine methyl ester (APM), used as an artificial sweetener. Aspartame is composed of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine [structure (1)]. Amino acid Artificial sweetener Aspartame…

A weapon that consists of integral rocket propulsion, means of pointing or guiding the weapon's velocity vector to a prescribed orientation at the position and time of rocket engine shutoff or burnout, and a warhead. In certain applications, means…

A fermented beverage produced from grain. Beer is a generic term used to describe alcoholic beverages made from cereal grains, especially barley (Fig. 1), in the form of malt. Ale, lager, porter, and stout are different kinds of beer made by…

Products derived from the seeds of the tropical tree Theobroma cacao. The cacao tree (Fig. 1) grows within a narrow belt along both sides of the Equator. There are three basic varieties: Criollo, which was native to Central and South America;…

Keeping perishable products at low temperatures to extend shelf life. Cold storage vastly retards the natural deterioration of perishable products at higher temperatures. Time and temperature are the key factors that determine how well foods (see…

Equipment used in the production and processing of milk and milk products, including milking machines, cream separators, coolers, pasteurizers, homogenizers, butter-making equipment, evaporators and dryers, and related items of equipment. Dairy…

Potable alcoholic beverages, each obtained by distilling an alcohol-containing liquid and further treating the distillate to obtain a beverage of specific character. Classification The various distilled spirits are classified according to (1) the…

The art and science of preserving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum for friendly forces while denying its use to the enemy. This is accomplished via use of techniques, devices, and equipment by an adversary to deny or counteract an enemy's use…

Any substance taken into the body primarily for providing nourishment. Chosen carefully, foods can provide all of the essential nutrients required for the normal functioning of the human body. In this context, food is necessary to provide energy, to…

A subdiscipline in the field of microbiology concerned with the study of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that grow in or are transmitted by foods. Food microbiology is a broad field that can include not only microbiology, but also sanitation,…

An acute gastrointestinal or neurologic disorder caused by bacteria (or their toxic products), viruses, or harmful chemicals in foods. In general, food poisoning (foodborne illness) is a condition resulting from the consumption of food or water…

Grasses and legumes that make up grasslands and are consumed by grazing livestock. The grasslands represent an ancient renewable natural resource. They form 25% of the world's vegetation and occupy the largest area of any single plant type. They…

A hardy perennial, Allium sativum, of Asiatic origin and belonging to the plant order Asparagales. Garlic is grown for its pungent bulbs (see illustration). Segments of these are used primarily for seasoning. Europeans have grown garlic for probably…

An important spice or condiment; also the plant from which it is obtained, Zingiber officinale, of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The plant is a native of southeastern Asia. It is an erect perennial herb (see illustration) having thick, scaly,…

Crop plants that belong to the grass family (Poaceae or Gra­mineae), generally grown for their edible starchy seeds. Grain crops also are referred to as cereal crops and include wheat, rice, corn (maize), barley (see illustration), rye, oats,…

Intensively managed plants cultivated for food or for esthetic purposes. Plant agriculture is divided traditionally into the fields of agronomy (herbaceous field crops, mainly grains, forages, oilseeds, and fiber crops), forestry (forest trees and…

A commercial dairy food made by freezing while stirring a pasteurized mix of suitable ingredients. The product may include milk fat, nonfat milk solids, or milk-derived ingredients; other ingredients may include corn syrup, water, flavoring, egg…

A mold that is one of the most widely used fungi in industry. Especially with regard to the Japanese way of life, Aspergillus oryzae, a type of koji mold (Fig. 1), is quite indispensable, being an essential substance of traditional foods and…

A product obtained from the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) of the legume family [Leguminosae (Fabaceae)]. Licorice (alternatively spelled as liquorice) is a perennial herb that grows wild and is cultivated in southern Europe and in western and…

A nonenzymatic chemical reaction involving condensation of an amino group and a reducing group, resulting in the formation of intermediates which ultimately polymerize to form brown pigments (melanoidins). It was named for the French biochemist…

An emulsified fatty food product used as a spread and a baking and cooking fat, consisting of an aqueous phase dispersed in the fat as a continuous phase. Hyppolyte Mège-Mouriés invented margarine in 1869 and won the prize offered by Louis Napoleon…

Mammary secretions obtained from animals used as a food source or processed into food products. The general term milk refers to cow's milk. However, milk is also obtained from goats, sheep, and buffalo (Fig. 1). Buffalo Dairy cattle production Goat…

The sodium salt of glutamic acid (also known as MSG). It is used in foods to enhance flavors.The molecular structure is as follows. Spice and flavoring The crystal form is the monohydrate; that is the structure as represented above plus one…

Any of a number of annual crucifer species of Asiatic origin belonging to the plant order Capparales. Mustards eaten as greens are Brassica juncea, B. juncea var. crispifolia, and B. hirta. Table mustard and mustard oils are obtained from B. nigra…

The treatment of foods or beverages with mild heat, irradiation, or chemical agents to improve keeping quality or to inactivate disease-causing microorganisms. Originally, Louis Pasteur observed that spoilage of wine and beer could be prevented by…

Chenopodium quinoa, an indigenous pseudocereal of the Andean region of South America. Quinoa (Fig. 1) was one of the first plants to be domesticated in South America, and it is now recognized agronomically as an important crop. It has received…

Brassica napus, a plant of the cabbage family. Rape (Brassica napus) [see illustration] and turnip rape (B. rapa or B. campestris), which are closely related, are members of the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) plant family [order Brassicales or…

The product of rice fermented with red yeast. Red yeast rice, produced by fermentation of red yeast (the filamentous fungus Monascus) on rice grains, has been used traditionally in Asian countries as a food colorant (due to the presence of various…

The former name for chymosin, a proteolytic enzyme (EC 3.4.23.4) that is used to coagulate milk in cheesemaking. Rennin is one of several aspartic proteinases from various sources that are used as milk-clotting enzymes. Rennin may be retained in…

The sodium salt of o-sulfobenzimide. The free imide, called insoluble saccharin (see illustration), is insoluble in water and has limited use as a flavoring agent in pharmaceuticals. The sodium (see illustration) and calcium salts are very soluble…

Diseases caused by Salmonella bacteria. Infections that are engendered by Salmonella bacteria are known as salmonelloses (the singular form is salmonellosis). In general, salmonelloses are commonly spread through contaminated food or water, leading…

The chemical compound sodium chloride. It is used extensively in the food industry as a preservative and flavoring, as well as in the chemical industry to make chlorine and sodium. Historically, salt is one of the oldest materials used in people's…

An expendable device that enables aircraft to detect underwater objects, such as submarines, acoustically. Acoustics is the preferred energy form for use in salt water, because it tends to be the least attenuated by the medium.A sonobuoy consists of…

An erect annual legume, Glycine max, known for its high protein and oil contents. Soybean (Glycine max, order Fabales) is one of the most significant commercial legume species. Native to China, soybean is widely cultivated for forage and for its…

Mentha spicata, an aromatic, vegetatively propagated, clonal cultivar species of the mint family Lamiaceae (Labiatae). The leaves of the spearmint plant are used as a flavoring in foods. In many areas, the mint is grown primarily as a source of the…

Ingredients added to food to provide all or a part of the flavor. Spices, a unique category of flavorings which are given preferred legal status because of the long history of their use in foods, are pungent or aromatic substances of vegetable…

Crops produced as major sources of sugar, syrup, and other sugar substances. Sugar crops include sugarbeet (also spelled sugar beet), sugarcane (Fig. 1), sweet sorghum, sugar maple, sugar palm, honey, corn, and chicory. Sugar is a broad term applied…

The carbohydrates known as monosaccharides, with the chemical formula C6H12O6, and disaccharides, with the chemical formula C12H22O11, used in food as sweeteners. The monosaccharides glucose, fructose, and galactose are the simplest of the sugars.…

A perennial herb, Artemisia dracunculus, in the aster family (Asteraceae), whose pungent leaves are used as a spice. Tarragon (see illustration) is often divided into French and Russian types. French tarragon can be distinguished by its highly…

A cereal grass plant (× Triticosecale) obtained from the hybridization of wheat (Triticum) with rye (Secale cereale). Triticale (Fig. 1) is a crop plant with a small-seeded cereal grain that is used for human food and livestock feed. Worldwide,…

A dye or a spice obtained from the plant Curcuma longa, which belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). Turmeric is a stout perennial that is native to Southeast Asia, probably originating from South India. It has a short stem, tufted leaves,…

A type of cell receptor in taste buds that detects the savory taste quality known as umami. Umami is one of the five basic taste qualities that humans can detect, along with sweet, bitter, salty, and sour. It was discovered in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda,…

A tropical climbing orchid of the genus Vanilla, and the choice flavoring obtained from the plant. The vanilla plant (Fig. 1), predominantly Vanilla planifolia (formerly V. fragrans), but also including other species (for example, V. pompona and V.…

An autonomous undersea vehicle that can be launched from submarines, surface ships, or aircraft to attack enemy submarines and surface ships. An acoustic torpedo is a sophisticated weapon. Its main components are a guidance and control system, a…

The techniques and methods used in plowing, harrowing, planting, tilling, harvesting, drying, storing, and processing of agricultural crops. Agricultural soil and crop practices seek to keep the quality and fertility of soils at high levels so as to…

That category of weapons which are typically delivered on target by fixed or rotary-wing aircraft, with the exception of nuclear weapons. Specifically included are guns and ammunition, rockets, free-fall bombs, cluster weapons that consist of a…

The dried, unripe fruits (berries) of a small, tropical, evergreen tree, Pimenta dioica (P. officinalis), of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Allspice (see illustration), which is also known as Jamaica pepper, is a native of the West Indies and parts…

Prunus dulcis (also known as Prunus amygdalus or Amygdalus communis), a small deciduous tree of the order Rosales that is closely related to the peach and other stone fruit trees, and grown widely for its ellipsoidal edible seeds. The fruit of the…

Substances suitable for the nutrition of animals, including livestock and poultry feed and pet food. Animal feed includes plant and animal products and by-products as well as vitamin and mineral supplements. Livestock and poultry feed In formulating…

An annual herb, Pimpinella anisum (family Apiaceae), whose fruit is used to provide food flavoring and to make a distilled oil. Anise is one of the earliest aromatics mentioned in literature. The anise plant (see illustration) is an annual herb that…

All measures required to combat enemy submarines, including strategy, operational employment of forces, tactics, and a wide variety of equipment and weapons to find and destroy submarines and to neutralize their weapons. Goals The key physical facts…

The weapons, equipment, and supplies that permit lethal or nonlethal devices to strike their targets. Armaments can be classified as field artillery, individual and crew-served weapons (infantry), armor and antiarmor, antiaircraft, helicopter…

Substitutes for sugar (sucrose) in foods and beverages that provide intense sweetness with few to no calories. Artificial sweeteners are sometimes called low-calorie sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, noncaloric sweeteners, non-nutritive…

The branch of applied physics which deals with the motion of projectiles and the conditions governing their motion. Ballistics is, for practical purposes, subdivided into exterior and interior ballistics. Exterior ballistics begins at the instant a…

One of the oldest and most important of the spices. Black pepper is the dried, unripe fruit of a weak climbing vine, Piper nigrum (see illustration), which is a member of the pepper family (Piperaceae). It is a native of India and has spread…

An illness produced by the exotoxin of Clostridium botulinum and occasionally other bacterial members of the genus Clostridium, and characterized by paralysis and other neurological abnormalities. Botulism is a serious (though rare) condition caused…

A herbaceous, erect annual plant belonging to the Polygonaceae family (typically the genus Fagopyrum), whose dry seed or grain is used as a source of food and animal feed. Buckwheat is not a true cereal and is one of the very few plants, other than…

A food product made by churning cream. In the United States, butter is not defined by Standard of Identity in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as are most foods, but instead it was defined in 1923 by an act of Congress. Butter must contain at least…

An important spice and flavoring agent from the fruits of the white-flowered perennial herb Carum carvi (family Apiaceae). Caraway is a native plant of Europe and western Asia. It is now cultivated in many temperate areas of both hemispheres of the…

A spice from the perennial herbaceous plant Elettaria cardamomum (family Zingiberaceae); alternatively spelled cardamom. The cardamon plant grows to a height of 1.8–3.6 m (6–12 ft) and is native to India. The small, light-colored seeds (see…