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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…

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. The…

The adaptation of an animal or plant through breeding in captivity to a life intimately associated with and advantageous to humans. Domesticated plants and animals differ genetically and morphologically from their wild counterparts, often in ways…

The earliest representatives of people anatomically similar to living humans that evolved from more archaic humans approximately 150,000–300,000 years ago. The general process by which early modern humans (Homo sapiens) emerged from late archaic…

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,…

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…

Fossil members of the group of primates constituting the apes. Apes and humans are closely related primates in the superfamily Hominoidea. The living hominoids are subdivided into the families Hylobatidae and Hominidae. The hylobatids, or lesser…

Extinct members of the order of mammals to which humans belong. All current classifications divide the living primates (order Primates) into two major groups (suborders) [Fig. 1]: the Strepsirhini (Strepsirrhini) or "lower" primates (lemurs,…

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,…

A species of fossil human from the Pleistocene representing a specialized side branch in human evolution in Africa and Eurasia. Homo erectus was a common, widespread, and long-surviving ancestor of modern humans (H. sapiens). Fossil remains of…

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 group of late archaic humans (Homo neanderthalensis) from Europe, southwest Asia, and central Asia that immediately preceded the first modern humans in those regions. The closest evolutionary relatives of modern humans are the Neandertals (also…

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…

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…

A scientific discipline that applies principles of evolutionary biology to the study of animal and human social behavior. Sociobiology is a synthesis of ethology (the study of animal behavior), ecology, and evolutionary theory in which social…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…