This book is addressed to the university student who is not a science major and to the general reader. An attempt is made to present an integrated view of some of the basic concepts of physical, biological, and social sciences relevant to the problem of providing people with food. The application of these disciplines has led to our present technologies of medicine, agriculture, and food science on which modern civilization rests. Technical information concerning foods has increased enormously in the less than a century that the basic concepts of the science of nutrition have been recognized. Scientific agriculture to provide food for an ever-growing population is scarcely a century and a half old. Feeding oneself is a very personal matter, and at the same time feeding large groups is the concern of society as a whole. Therefore, it is understandable that, in one way or another, the problems offood produc­ tion and distribution underlie the actions of politicians, bureaucrats, the leaders of government, and business managers. These situations of our modern life make rational and sound solutions to food problems difficult and often contribute to alarmism founded on partial scientific "truth" taken out of context. The trend toward more "consumerism" is unmistakable. But to serve the individual best, such movements must be based on sound judgments and reasoned scientific principles rather than on the often emotional compromises of opportunistic politicians, lawyers, and businessmen. That man requires wholesome, nutritious food is indisputable.

1 Introduction.- 2 Some Characteristics of Biological Organisms.- 3 Cells, the Fundamental Biological Units.- 4 Environmental Conditions for Life.- 5 Nutrition.- 6 What is Our Food Made of?.- 7 The Separation and Utilization of Nutrients from the Multiplicity of Substances Naturally Present in Foods.- 8 The Biology of Some Food Organisms.- 9 Food Spoilage and the Requirements for Preservation and Distribution.- 10 Economic and Social Conditions Controlling the Supply and Utilization of Food.- 11 Government Regulation of Food.- 12 World Population Growth and Future Food Supplies.- Composition of Foods.