The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries

by Gary Allen, Ken Albala

Overview

The business of food and drink is for better and worse the business of our nation and our planet, and to most consumers how it works remains largely a mystery. This encyclopedia takes readers as consumers behind the scenes of the food and drink industries. The contributors come from a wide range of fields, and the scope of this encyclopedia is broad, covering from food companies and brands to the environment, health, science and technology, culture, finance, and more. The more than 150 essay entries also cover those issues that have been and continue to be of perennial importance. Historical context is emphasized and the focus is mainly on business in the United States.

Most entries include Further Reading. The frontmatter includes an Alphabetical List of Entries and a Topical List of Entries to allow the reader to quickly find subjects of interest. Numerous cross-references in the entries and blind entries provide other search strategies. The person and subject index is another in-depth search tool. Sample entries: Advertising, Agribusiness, Altria, Animal Rights, Betty Crocker, Celebrity Chefs, Chain Restaurants, Commodities Exchange, Cooking Technology, Culinary Tourism, Eco-terrorism, Environmental Protection Agency, Ethnic Food Business, European Union, Flavors and Fragrances, Food Safety, Food Service Industry, Genetic Engineering, Internet, Labor and Labor Unions, Marketing to Children, McDonald's, Meat Packing, North American Free Trade Agreement, Nutrition Labeling, Organic Foods, Poultry Industry, Slow Food, SPAM, Television, Trader Joe's, Tupperware, TV Dinners, Whole Foods, Williams-Sonoma, Wine Business

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313337253
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/30/2007
Pages:	456
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

GARY ALLEN is Adjunct Professor, SUNY Empire State College, Highland, New York.

KEN ALBALA is Professor of History at the University of the Pacific, Stockton, California.

Editorial Reviews

This encyclopedia aims to be a source of information not only about food, but also about food that tastes good and is good for our bodies, our neighbors and the creatures with whom we share the planet. The title is a bit misleading because the encyclopedia covers a wide variety of topics and some industries. Broad in scope, this volume addresses food companies, brands, health, science and technology, culture, and the environment. In total, it presents more than 150 signed entries. Each brief entry provides current and historical information that is unacademic in nature. The contributors include historians, sociologists, nutritionists, jourbanalists, scientists, and food service professionals….Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates, practitioners, and general readers.” —Choice

“This new encyclopedia explores the world of food production and distribution in the Twenty-first Century. Coverage ranges from truck and dairy farms to meat and poultry packing plants to farmer's markets, fast food franchises and supermarkets. The scope is not just production methods and problems, but packaging, marketing, transportation and consumer issues as well….Each entry provides substantial suggestions for further research, and this guide will provide an excellent starting point for those researching all aspects of the food industry.” —Lawrence Looks at Books

“Allen and Albala's book will help towards an understanding of where society is at the moment regarding these vital matters.” —Reference Reviews

From the Publisher