Principles of Food Science, 3rd Edition Page 8 (30 of 864)

8
Unit 1 The Science of Food
understanding the “whys” came into being. During that century,
researchers began to discover chemicals and their relationships to life.
The microscope was improved in the early 1800s. As a result, scientists
began to understand bacteria and their effects on food spoilage and
human health. The canning process was invented in France and was
soon expanded to commercial scale. The fi rst U.S. canning plant was
opened in New York in 1812. See 1-3.
Along with advances in scientifi c knowledge, the late eighteenth
century brought major changes to the economy. These changes
resulted from developing power-driven machines and harnessing steam
and coal power. This period is referred to as the industrial revolution.
Steam engines enabled machines to do the work of many people.
In the 1830s, the invention of such farm machinery as the thresher,
reaper, and steel plow increased food production. The invention of
specialized factory equipment also sped food processing steps. These
developments led to the start of many food processing companies.
Armour foods opened in 1867, and Pillsbury and Campbell were
founded in 1869.
Ingredients were developed to manufacture foods faster and with
more consistent quality. Better products, such as breads with fi ner
texture, were highly desired and more profi table. Baking powder
was mass-produced in 1856. Commercial yeast became available in
1868. Self-rising fl our was fi rst marketed in the 1890s.
World Wars I and II encouraged the development and acceptance
of a number of food products. Some convenience foods were developed
fi rst for the military. An example is pancake mix, which was developed
during World War I. Pancake mixes were followed to the consumer
market by biscuit and cake mixes in the 1930s. However, the majority
of consumers initially snubbed
these early convenience foods,
considering them vastly inferior
to homemade products.
As a result of World War II,
many women entered the work-
force to replace men who had
enlisted in the armed services.
These women had less time for
food preparation. Thus, the demand
for foods that could be prepared
quickly and easily increased.
Wartime rationing of sugar and
butter made it diffi cult to have
ample supplies for home baking.
These two factors fostered the
popularity of mixes that had been
poorly received by consumers a
decade earlier. ©Bruce Amos/Shutterstock
1-3 The invention of the canning process made it possible to safely preserve
large quantities of food.

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Extracted Text (may have errors)

8
Unit 1 The Science of Food
understanding the “whys” came into being. During that century,
researchers began to discover chemicals and their relationships to life.
The microscope was improved in the early 1800s. As a result, scientists
began to understand bacteria and their effects on food spoilage and
human health. The canning process was invented in France and was
soon expanded to commercial scale. The fi rst U.S. canning plant was
opened in New York in 1812. See 1-3.
Along with advances in scientifi c knowledge, the late eighteenth
century brought major changes to the economy. These changes
resulted from developing power-driven machines and harnessing steam
and coal power. This period is referred to as the industrial revolution.
Steam engines enabled machines to do the work of many people.
In the 1830s, the invention of such farm machinery as the thresher,
reaper, and steel plow increased food production. The invention of
specialized factory equipment also sped food processing steps. These
developments led to the start of many food processing companies.
Armour foods opened in 1867, and Pillsbury and Campbell were
founded in 1869.
Ingredients were developed to manufacture foods faster and with
more consistent quality. Better products, such as breads with fi ner
texture, were highly desired and more profi table. Baking powder
was mass-produced in 1856. Commercial yeast became available in
1868. Self-rising fl our was fi rst marketed in the 1890s.
World Wars I and II encouraged the development and acceptance
of a number of food products. Some convenience foods were developed
fi rst for the military. An example is pancake mix, which was developed
during World War I. Pancake mixes were followed to the consumer
market by biscuit and cake mixes in the 1930s. However, the majority
of consumers initially snubbed
these early convenience foods,
considering them vastly inferior
to homemade products.
As a result of World War II,
many women entered the work-
force to replace men who had
enlisted in the armed services.
These women had less time for
food preparation. Thus, the demand
for foods that could be prepared
quickly and easily increased.
Wartime rationing of sugar and
butter made it diffi cult to have
ample supplies for home baking.
These two factors fostered the
popularity of mixes that had been
poorly received by consumers a
decade earlier. ©Bruce Amos/Shutterstock
1-3 The invention of the canning process made it possible to safely preserve
large quantities of food.

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9
Chapter 1 Food Science: An Old but New Subject
Government Regulation of the Food Industry
As with most new developments, the commercial production of
food led to some problems. From time to time, government regulation
was needed to address the problems. These dynamic forces—a growing
food industry and a vigilant government—resulted in the consistent,
economic, convenient food supply you enjoy today.
Early Regulation
Before the 1820s, the main food safety concern was spoilage.
With the arrival of mass food production and canning, adulteration
became a widespread problem. Adulteration is lowered quality and
safety of a product caused by adding inferior ingredients that may
be toxic. The following are a few nineteenth and early twentieth
century examples of adulterated food products:
• Ground pepper contained gravel, leaves, and twigs.
• Vinegar was diluted with sulfuric acid.
George Washington Carver
Through research in his chemistry lab,
George Washington Carver developed
hundreds of food products.
George Washington Carver (1860–1943)
was a freed slave, artist, botanist, chemist,
professor, pianist, and food scientist. George
Washington Carver completed his high school
education in his late 20s in Minneapolis,
Kansas, while working as a farmhand. He
continued his studies at Iowa State College.
He received a degree in agricultural studies
in 1894 and a master of science degree in 1896.
Iowa State offered him an appointment as
assistant botanist where he was responsible
for the school’s greenhouse. This was where
he started a fungus collection that grew to
20,000 species and brought him his initial
professional fame.
In 1896, Booker T. Washington offered
Carver a position on the staff at Tuskegee
Institute. As the director of agricultural
research, Carver worked to improve the lot
of the Southern farmer.
He developed products
derived from soil-
enriching crops like
peanuts and sweet
potatoes. These products
helped revolutionize the economy of the South.
They freed the South from exclusive depen-
dence on cotton, which depleted the soil.
Carver’s work resulted in the development
of hundreds of food and industrial products.
Products derived from peanuts include fl our,
cheese, milk, coffee, ink, dyes, plastics, soap,
and linoleum. Products derived from sweet
potatoes include fl our, vinegar, molasses,
rubber, and a postage stamp glue.
Carver encouraged improved farming
methods and conservation. He sought to
change the lot of African-American people
through education. He paved the way for a
better life for the entire South.

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7
Chapter 1 Food Science: An Old but New Subject
period explores the invention of modern machines and the develop-
ment of mass production processes. The third period is marked by
government regulation to keep the food supply safe.
Early Food Discoveries
Throughout most of history, people existed on the plants and
animals available in the areas where they lived. Through experi-
mentation, people discovered which food sources were safe to eat.
Variety was limited by location and seasons.
Civilizations formed where water, game, and land would provide
abundant food supplies. Men hunted and fi shed as women and
children searched for fruits and nuts.
The changing seasons required people to identify foods they
could store for cold months when plants would not grow. Gradually,
foods that were favored because of their keeping qualities were
cultivated and farming began. Among these foods were high-energy
grains, such as wheat, oats, rye, barley, cornmeal, and rice. People also
looked for ways to extend the storage life of foods. They discovered
that drying grains and other foods enabled them to be stored and
used throughout the winter. See 1-2.
Drying as well as salting and smoking became dependable ways
to preserve foods for longer periods of use. Along with cooking food
over fl ames, these processes were the earliest forms of food processing.
This term refers to any deliberate change in food
occurring between its point of origin and its availability
for consumption.
Many foods were discovered by accident. For
example, it is believed that cheese was discovered
in the hot desert areas of the Middle East. In those
regions, stomachs recycled from slaughtered animals
were scraped, cleaned, and tied to use as containers
for liquids. When goat’s milk was placed in these
containers, something surprising happened. The
milk would curdle because the animal stomachs
contained an enzyme called rennin. Curdling was
further promoted by warm temperatures and jostling
motions as the milk was carried across the desert on
camelback. Middle Eastern peoples discovered the
curds, or pieces of cheese, were quite tasty and would
keep for a long time.
The Industrial Revolution
Much of the food you eat is prepared and preserved
in ways that have been used for hundreds and even
thousands of years. Through trial and error, people
learned techniques that would preserve foods, but they
did not know why these techniques worked. It was
not until the 1700s that tools and procedures for
©Superpetya/Shutterstock
1-2 Plants that were safe to eat were eventually
cultivated as food.

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Page 25Unit 1 The Science of Food click to expand contents

Page 111Unit 2 Basic Chemistry click to expand contents

Page 231Unit 3 Organic Chemistry: The Macronutrients click to expand contents

Page 389Unit 4 Food Chemistry: The Microcomponents click to expand contents

Page 513Unit 5 Food Microbiology: Living Organisms in Food click to expand contents

Page 593Unit 6 Food Preservation and Packaging click to expand contents

Page 691Unit 7 Working with Complex Food Systems click to expand contents

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