Here are some resources looking into the science of Culinary Science:
Delicious by
A savory account of how the pursuit of delicious foods shaped human evolution Nature, it has been said, invites us to eat by appetite and rewards by flavor. But what exactly are flavors? Why are some so pleasing while others are not? Delicious is a supremely entertaining foray into the heart of such questions. With generous helpings of warmth and wit, Rob Dunn and Monica Sanchez offer bold new perspectives on why food is enjoyable and how the pursuit of delicious flavors has guided the course of human history. They consider the role that flavor may have played in the invention of the first tools, the extinction of giant mammals, the evolution of the world's most delicious and fatty fruits, the creation of beer, and our own sociality. Along the way, you will learn about the taste receptors you didn't even know you had, the best way to ferment a mastodon, the relationship between Paleolithic art and cheese, and much more. Blending irresistible storytelling with the latest science, Delicious is a deep history of flavor that will transform the way you think about human evolution and the gustatory pleasures of the foods we eat.
Plants, Genes, and Agriculture by
What needs to happen if we are going to feed almost 10 billion people by the year 2050 in a sustainable way? This interdisciplinary textbook for non-majors addresses this challenging question, presenting biological, economic, and sociocultural issues to consider the complexity of feedinghumanity and increasing food production sustainably.
Organic Kitchen Gardening by
Begin with the basics of garden planning: which crop to sow and when, improving the soil, creating shelter, combating pests, and propagating plants. Success on a small scale becomes inevitable with beautiful photos of garden layouts and detailed information on leaf, flowering, and fruiting vegetables; gourds; onions; pods and kernels; roots, stems, and bulbs; and herbs.
Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals by
Combine the insights of an experienced dietitian and a renowned chef in this practical guide to nutrition and food In the newly revised 10th Edition of Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, registered nutritionist Karen E. Drummond and executive chef Lisa M. Brefere deliver an insightful guide to incorporating healthy, balanced dietary techniques into everyday practice. From national nutrition guidelines to food preparation and labeling standards, the authors cover every relevant aspect of planning, preparing, and serving healthy meals. They include updated 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the USDA, the latest nutrition research, culinary trends, ingredients, and planning menus to meet the diverse nutritional needs of today's customers. This book also includes: A thorough introduction to the fundamentals of nutrition and foods, including why nutrition is important, what constitutes a healthy diet, and discussions of calories and nutrients A comprehensive exploration of balanced cooking and menus, including how to build flavor, balanced baking, modifying recipes, and gluten-free baking Practical discussions of applied nutrition, including how to handle customers' special nutrition requests, weight management, and nutrition for people of all ages Several appendices including serving sizes for MyPlate food groups and dietary reference intakes An enhanced e-book with links to technique videos, interactive games, quizzes, and glossary entries Perfect for students completing a culinary arts or foodservice management curriculum, Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Tenth Edition is also an indispensable resource for chefs, cooks, and anyone else who professionally prepares food.
Food Safety and Inspection by
The process of food inspection relies on an inspector's understanding of the intrinsic hazards associated with individual foods. Whereas spoilage can usually be determined through a simple organoleptic assessment, the judgment of whether a food is fit for human consumption requires an evaluation of health hazards, many of which may not be apparent through physical assessment. Instead the inspector must analyse and integrate scientific and handling information to evaluate the potential health risk. Adulteration of foods is also becoming an increasing problem, and the complexity of the food supply chain requires an understanding of risk points to allow targeted inspection and assessment. Food Safety and Inspection: An Introduction focuses on food categories and describes common hazards associated with each, using published peer-reviewed research to explain and evaluate the health risk. It is a practical textbook designed to support the role of food inspection in a modern food industry. There are seven chapters looking at specific aspects of food safety, including a chapter on fraud and adulteration. This book summarises relevant published research to provide a scientific context for specific food safety issues, and is an essential read for anyone interested in becoming a food inspector.
The Science of Cooking by
A kitchen is no different from most science laboratories and cookery may properly be regarded as an experimental science. Food preparation and cookery involve many processes which are well described by the physical sciences. Understanding the chemistry and physics of cooking should lead to improvements in performance in the kitchen. For those of us who wish to know why certain recipes work and perhaps more importantly why others fail, appreciating the underlying physical processes will inevitably help in unravelling the mysteries of the "art" of good cooking. Strong praise from the reviewers - "Will be stimulating for amateur cooks with an interest in following recipes and understanding how they work. They will find anecdotes and, sprinkled throughout the book, scientific points of information... The book is a pleasant read and is an invitation to become better acquainted with the science of cooking." - NATURE "This year, at last, we have a book which shows how a practical understanding of physics and chemistry can improve culinary performance... [Barham] first explains, in a lucid non-textbooky way, the principles behind taste, flavour and the main methods of food preparation, and then gives fool-proof basic recipes for dishes from roast leg of lab to chocolate soufflé." - FINANCIAL TIMES WEEKEND "This book is full of interesting and relevant facts that clarify the techniques of cooking that lead to the texture, taste and aroma of good cuisine. As a physicist the author introduces the importance of models in preparing food, and their modification as a result of testing (tasting)."- THE PHYSICIST "Focuses quite specifically on the physics and food chemistry of practical domestic cooking in terms of real recipes... Each chapter starts with an overview of the scientific issues relevant to that food group, e.g. toughness of meat, thickening of sauces, collapse of sponge cakes and soufflés. This is followed by actual recipes, with the purpose behind each ingredient and technique explained, and each recipe followed by a table describing some common problems, causes and solutions. Each chapter then ends with suggested experiments to illustrate some of the scientific principles exploited in the chapter." - FOOD & DRINK NEWSLETTER
Newton's Chicken by
"A highly rigorous, yet original and entertaining book that explores the connection between food and science. Why has science forcefully entered the kitchen from a certain moment in history? Why do scientists often use images and metaphors drawn from gastronomy? What is the common thread that connects scientific experiments to mouth-watering recipes? What has futurist cooking got in common with molecular gastronomy? Experiments with coffee, controversies over beer and chocolate recipes guarded as if they were secret patents are the ingredients of this original, surprising account of the intersections between gastronomy and research, between laboratories and kitchens"--
Essential Guide to Food Additives by
Food additives have played and still play an essential role in the food industry. Additives span a great range from simple materials like sodium bicarbonate, essential in the kitchen for making cakes, to mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, an essential emulsifier in low fat spreads and in bread. It has been popular to criticise food additives, and in so doing, to lump them all together, but this approach ignores their diversity of history, source and use. This book includes food additives and why they are used, safety of food additives in Europe, additive legislation within the EU and outside Europe and the complete listing of all additives permitted in the EU. The law covering food additives in the EU which was first harmonised in 1989 has been amended frequently since then, but has now been consolidated with the publication of Regulations 1331/2008 and 1129/2011. This 4th edition of the Guide brings it up to date with the changes introduced by this legislation and by the ongoing review of additives by EFSA. Providing an invaluable resource for food and drink manufacturers, this book is the only work covering in detail every additive, its sources and uses. Those working in and around the food industry, students of food science and indeed anyone with an interest in what is added to their food will find this a practical book full of fascinating details.
Food, Fermentation, and Micro-Organisms by
Fermentation and the use of micro-organisms is one of the most important aspects of food processing - an industry that is worth billions of US dollars world-wide. Integral to the making of goods ranging from beer and wine to yogurt and bread, it is the common denominator between many of our favorite things to eat and drink. In this updated and expanded second edition of Food, Fermentation, and Micro-organisms, all known food applications of fermentation are examined. Beginning with the science underpinning food fermentations, the author looks at the relevant aspects of microbiology and microbial physiology before covering individual foodstuffs and the role of fermentation in their production, as well as the possibilities that exist for fermentation's future development and application. Many chapters, particularly those on cheese, meat, fish, bread, and yoghurt, now feature expanded content and additional illustrations. Furthermore, a newly included chapter looks at indigenous alcoholic beverages. Food, Fermentation, and Micro-organisms, Second Edition is a comprehensive guide for all food scientists, technologists, and microbiologists working in the food industry and academia today. The book will be an important addition to libraries in food companies, research establishments, and universities where food studies, food science, food technology and microbiology are studied and taught.
Food Frying by
A wide-ranging exploration of the science and practice of food frying Frying is one of the world's most popular methods of food preparation. Whether using oils or fats, it is valued for the particular flavors and textures it can bring, and represents a multibillion-dollar sector of the global economy. Food Frying: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Safety explores this important cooking technique in its scientific dimensions, charting the relationships between the chemical reactions produced during frying, the changes in food quality that these engender, and associated digestive and health-related issues. By outlining these connections, the author provides an aid to a safer, healthier approach to food frying. Topics covered range from culturally specific forms of frying to detailed analyses of the chemical and biochemical processes involved in its practice. Delivering these insights in a practical and easy-to-follow manner, this unique text includes: A complete survey of food frying, encompassing cultural, chemical, biochemical, and toxicological concerns Guidance on the accurate assessment of health, quality, and safety issues associated with food frying Coverage of the latest technologies and methods involved with frying Information on the possible future development of fried foods Food Frying: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Safety is an invaluable resource for all those who work with fried foods, whether they be food industry professionals, food scientists, or workers in the oil and fat industries.
Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs - Latest Laboratory, Pre-Clinical, and Clinical Studies by
Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spies have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate bioactive compounds from herbs and spices and perform chemical analyses, which can be used to develop medicines to treat different diseases. This book series is a compilation of current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs is essential reading for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are common part of regional diets and folk medicine. The first volume of this series features the following reviews: 1. Saffron: The Golden Spice 2. The Effect of Crocus sativous (Saffron) on Respiratory System, Traditional and Experimental Evidences 3. Nutraceutical Activities of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its Bioactive Constituent Curcumin 4. Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities of Turmeric and its Active Ingredient Curcumin, and Mechanism of Action 5. Strategies for Enhancement of Bioavailability and Bioactivity of Curcumin 6. Effect of Curcumin on the Diversity of Gut Microbiota 7. Turmeric and Inflammatory Diseases: An Overview of Clinical Evidence 8. Pre-Clinical/Animal Studies Conducted on Turmeric and Curcumin and Their Formulations
Cooking for Geeks by
Why do we cook the way we do? Are you the innovative type, used to expressing your creativity instead of just following recipes? Do you want to learn to be a better cook or curious about the science behind what happens to food as it cooks? More than just a cookbook, Cooking for Geeks applies your curiosity to discovery, inspiration, and invention in the kitchen. Why do we bake some things at 350°F/175°C and others at 375°F/190°C? Why is medium-rare steak so popular? And just how quickly does a pizza cook if we overclock an oven to 1,000 F/540 C? Author and cooking geek Jeff Potter provides the answers to these questions and more, and offers his unique take on recipes -- from the sweet (a patent-violating chocolate chip cookie) to the savory (slow-cooked brisket). This book is an excellent and intriguing resource for anyone who enjoys cooking or wants to experiment in the kitchen. Discover what type of cook you are and calibrate your tools Learn about the important reactions in cooking, such as protein denaturation, Maillard reactions, and caramelization, and how they impact the foods we cook Gain firsthand insights from interviews with researchers, food scientists, knife experts, chefs, writers, and more, including author Harold McGee, TV personality Adam Savage, and chemist Hervé This
Culinary Reactions by
When you're cooking, you're a chemist! Every time you follow or modify a recipe, you are experimenting with acids and bases, emulsions and suspensions, gels and foams. In your kitchen you denature proteins, crystallize compounds, react enzymes with substrates, and nurture desired microbial life while suppressing harmful bacteria and fungi. And unlike in a laboratory, you can eat your experiments to verify your hypotheses. In Culinary Reactions, author Simon Quellen Field turns measuring cups, stovetop burners, and mixing bowls into graduated cylinders, Bunsen burners, and beakers. How does altering the ratio of flour, sugar, yeast, salt, butter, and water affect how high bread rises? Why is whipped cream made with nitrous oxide rather than the more common carbon dioxide? And why does Hollandaise sauce call for "clarified" butter? This easy-to-follow primer even includes recipes to demonstrate the concepts being discussed, including: Whipped Creamsicle Topping--a foam; Cherry Dream Cheese--a protein gle; Lemonade with Chameleon Eggs--an acid indicator; and more!
KitchenWise by
The James Beard Award-winning, bestselling author of CookWise and BakeWise delivers essential cooking know-how based on her expansive understanding of food science. Want to cook fluffier scrambled eggs and more flavorful sauces, keep your greens brilliantly green, and make everything taste more delicious? KitchenWise combines beloved cookbook author Shirley Corriher's down-to-earth advice with scientific expertise to address everyday cooking issues. Whether you are a beginner or a professional chef, Shirley's guidance will save you time and money, and help you know exactly what to do at the stove. A gifted teacher with a degree in chemistry, Shirley takes readers through the hows and whys of what she does in the kitchen, explaining the science behind common problems and offering solutions for how to fix them. (For example, salt has an amazing ability to suppress bitterness and allow other flavors to emerge.) In KitchenWise, which is filled with more than thirty of Shirley's favorite time-tested recipes, readers will learn why certain ingredients work well together and what makes good food great. Amazingly informative, approachable, and packed with proven techniques, KitchenWise serves up new ways to get the most from your meals.
Science and Cooking by
The spectacular culinary creations of modern cuisine are the stuff of countless articles and social media feeds. But to a scientist they are also perfect pedagogical explorations into the basic scientific principles of cooking. In Science and Cooking, Harvard professors Michael Brenner, Pia Sörensen, and David Weitz bring the classroom to your kitchen to teach the physics and chemistry underlying every recipe. Why do we knead bread? What determines the temperature at which we cook a steak, or the amount of time our chocolate chip cookies spend in the oven? Science and Cooking answers these questions and more through hands-on experiments and recipes from renowned chefs such as Christina Tosi, Joanne Chang, and Wylie Dufresne, all beautifully illustrated in full color. With engaging introductions from revolutionary chefs and collaborators Ferran Adria and José Andrés, Science and Cooking will change the way you approach both subjects-in your kitchen and beyond.