Agricultural History Review, Volume 70 Part 1 (2022), p. 167

This edited collection examines the past, present and future of the role of chemistry in food production. The collection is split into four parts: ‘Setting the Context’, ‘Sustainability in the Past’, ‘Sustainability in the Present’, and ‘Food and the Future’. Sixteen substantive chapters examine chemistry in food production from different perspectives, ranging from Eggleston’s chapter on the history of sugar and sweeteners through to Sarkadi’s chapter on the effects of fertilizer on food supply.

Chapter 1 sets the scene for the whole edited collection, describing the past, present and future of chemistry in food production. The past describes the history of agriculture, food additives, and the development of fertilizers. The present provides an overview on nutrition and diet, food analysis, food and the environment, and packaging and preserving food. The final section discusses the future of chemistry in food production.

Chapter 2 moves on to discuss the role of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in food production. This chapter is less about chemistry per se, but more about how the USDA manages food security, food safety, and nutrition alongside environmental stewardship. The history of agriculture is examined in chapter 3. A chronology of agricultural breakthroughs from the eighteenth century through to the twenty-first century is provided in tabular form. This is followed by a discussion of the introduction of some of these scientific and technological developments such as the seed drill, pasteurization, the creation of fertilizer through the Haber-Bosh process, and the development of pesticides such as DDT.

Chapter 4 changes focus to the history of sodium chloride, or what is commonly known as ‘table salt’. The different histories of salt are described including the use of salt as a meat and fish preservative, the use of salt in medicine, salt taxes in Egypt, China and North America, and salt in religious beliefs and practices. Salt as a nutrient is also examined along with controversies surrounding salt consumption in the twenty-first century. Chapter 5 focuses on the history of sugar and sweeteners. Seven phases of history are examined dating from 8000 BCE through to the twenty-first century.

Attention turns to Harvey Wiley and the transformation of the American diet in chapter 6. Harvey Wiley brought the adulteration of food and potentially harmful additives, to the attention of the American public at the turn of the twentieth century. His ideas concerning the purity of food are a lasting legacy, and continue to shape the manufacturing and marketing of products today. The theme of adulterated food continues in chapter 7. This describes the history of the use of colourants in adulterated food.

Alcohol is the subject of chapter 8. This chapter explains how examples of alcohol consumption for medicinal purposes have been found dating back to 100,000 years ago. Often, dissolved botanicals were mixed with alcoholic drinks to treat many different ailments.

Chapter 9 discusses the effects of fertilizer on food supply. This chapter provides a brief overview of the history of fertilizers before introducing the reader to some of the chemical compositions of fertilizers. A very brief paragraph explains the positive benefits for using fertilizers, and then the discussion moves to the risks of fertilizer use.

The evolution of flour in America is the focus of chapter 10. This chapter describes wheat, gluten, milling and bleaching. The discussion then moves to examine the gluten-free movement and explains how this has had a detrimental effect on wheat production, and on the flour and milling industries. In chapter 11, attention turns to nutritional advice and how chemistry may assist. This chapter examines the science of nutrition, as well as some of the problems associated with eating such as diabetes and obesity.

The use of chemical analysis in food safety and food authentication is the focus of chapter 12. In this chapter, the focus returns to the adulteration of food and food safety. Heavy metals, mycotoxins, and pesticides can be found in foods, and these can be deadly. Chapter 13 has a complete change of focus and is a relatively short chapter discussing rising sea levels and the consequences for Louisiana fisheries.

The history, controversy and hope of genetically modified organisms is discussed in chapter 14. This chapter describes genetic modification and genetically modified food. The debates surrounding genetically modified food are also briefly discussed. This discussion is quite dismissive of some of the valid concerns around genetically modified food. The chapter concludes by arguing that genetically modified foods are required in order to feed a growing population.

Chapter 15 discusses food preservation and packaging. It starts by discussing hunter-gatherers before moving on to the domestication of plants and animals. This discussion about domestication also covers mechanization, and the green revolution. Attention then turns to food spoilage caused by a range of mechanisms such as pests, time, and oxidation. The final section of this chapter discusses food packaging. A detailed review of packaging materials is presented including paper, metal containers, polymer-based packaging, and active packaging. In the final chapter, the discussion focuses on the past, present and future of food chemistry. This examines ‘natural’ ingredients, especially as consumers are demanding products that contain simple and recognisable ingredients. This is another chapter that discusses food adulteration, although this chapter also describes some of the processes which can be used to detect food fraud.

This edited collection covers a range of topics. The chapters are all very informative and work well as stand-alone pieces. However, there is no flow between the chapters. For example, there are four chapters which discuss adulteration of food, but these are spread throughout the book. It would have been easier for the reader if these had been grouped together. The edited collection could also have been improved by including a concluding chapter. This would have helped because the book covers such a wide range of different chemical applications in food production. However, this edited collection will prove useful and informative for those undertaking research in the area of chemistry in food production.