Edible Structures : The Basic Science of What We Eat

Understanding the science behind cooking has become all the rage. In an entertaining and educational way, this book describes the science that transforms the structures of delicious food. The author reveals some of the intimate secrets of cooking, and explains how food molecules affect our health and well-being. The text also delves into the mysteries of modern cuisine. Through clear and objective essays, it answers many questions about food, raw materials, manufacturing processes, and the benefits and risks involved in our daily food consumption. It makes a fun and informative read for professional chefs, culinary students, and anyone interested in the science behind food.

Nature converts molecules into edible structures, most of which are then transformed into products in factories and kitchens. Tasty food structures enter our mouths and different sensations invade our bodies. By the time these structures reach our cells, they have been broken back down into molecules that serve as fuel and raw materials for our bodies.

Drawing from the physical and engineering sciences, food technology, nutrition, and gastronomy, Edible Structures: The Basic Science of What We Eat examines the importance of food structures—the supramolecular assemblies and matrices that are created by nature and when we cook—rather than the basic chemical compounds that are the more traditional focus of study. The central objectives of this book are to address the pressing food trends of this century, including:

• Growing evidence that flavorful food structures are important for the delivery of the nutritious and healthful food molecules from which they are made
• A need to understand and control how food structures are created and presented as products that respond to nutritional requirements
• Opportunities to design certain foods to better suit the needs of modern lifestyles
• The empowerment of consumers and the appearance of the axis that connects the food we eat with our brain, digestive system, and the cells in our body
• The separation between a knowledgeable gourmet "elite" and the rest of the population who simply want to eat quick meals as cheaply as possible

Entertaining and informative, Edible Structures: The Basic Science of What We Eat uses scientific yet understandable terms throughout to facilitate the communication between experts and the educated public, especially those who are curious, love to cook and innovate in the kitchen and/or want to enjoy good food. The language and concepts presented in this book give the reader some access to specialized texts and scientific journals, and above all, to the best and most current information available on the Internet and other media.