"Bringing together original contributions by Canadian scholars from various disciplinary backgrounds, Critical Perspectives in Food Studies introduces students to the shifting interpretations, perspectives, challenges, governance issues, and future visions that shape the study of food and food issues in Canada and around the world. Offering the most up-to-date overview of the field, this second edition incorporates new chapters on a range of current food-related issues, including food security, farm animal welfare, genetically modified crops, sustainability, and alternative food systems."--

Who can deny the significance of food? It has a central role in our health and pleasure as well as in our economy, politics and culture. This book provides a social science perspective on food systems and demonstrates the rich variety of disciplinary and theoretical contexts of food studies. While hunger and malnutrition remain a reality in many countries, for some food has become an experience rather than a sustenance. This book addresses the different worldwide understandings of food through thematic chapters and a wide range of material including: description of the political economy of the food chain, from production to the point of sale; analysis of global issues of supply and demand; critical debate of environmental and health aspects of food, including GM food, the role of habits, taboos, age and gender in food consumption. Each chapter contains a guide to further reading and to websites of relevance to food. Extensively illustrated, this book is essential reading for students of food studies in the social sciences and humanities.ulation b.

Offers indispensable guidance on over 2000 culinary ingredients, each introduced with pictures and described with tips on appearance, consistency, taste and use. With over 2000 ingredients listed.