Meals in Science and Practice: Interdisciplinary Research and Business Applications (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition) - Hardcover

Herbert L. Meiselman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1845694031 ISBN 13: 9781845694036

Publisher: Woodhead Publishing Ltd, 2009

Synopsis

The meal is a key eating occasion, yet professionals and researchers frequently focus on single food products, rather than the combinations in which they are consumed. Research on meals is also carried out in a wide range of fields, from product development, nutrition and marketing to sociology and medical research, but the different disciplines do not always benefit each others' expertise. This important collection brings together information on meals from many perspectives. Chapters consider how meals are defined and studied and how they can operate as a teaching device. Following sections discuss meals worldwide and meals in practice.

Key Features: summarises key findings in dimensions of the meal; considers how meals are defined, studied and taught, including eating alone and socially and the influence of gender; reviews the meaning of meals in different cultures.

Contents: Part 1 Introduction: Dimensions of the meal: a summary; Meals in science and practice: an overview and summary. Part 2 defining meals: definitions of the meal reconsidered: Meals: the social perspective; Foodservice perspective in institutions. Part 3 Studying meals: The study of Nordic meals: lessons learnt; Meals and gender; Institutional meals; Studying meals in the home and in the laboratory. Part 4 Eating together and eating alone: A table for one: the pain and pleasure of eating alone; The American family meal; The family meal in Europe; Gender perspectives on the solo diner as restaurant customer. Part 5 Teaching through meals: The family meal as a culturally relevant nutrition teaching aid; Culinary arts and meal science as an interdisciplinary university curriculum. Part 6 Meal Worldwide: The packaged military meal; French meals; Italian meals; Brazilian meals; Indian meals; Thai meals; Chinese meals; Australian meals. Part 7 Meals in practice/meals as art: Chefs designing flavour for meals; Creating concepts for meals: perspectives from research and from business practice. Part 8 Further perspectives on meals: Meals, behaviour and brain function; Designing meal environments for mindful eating ; Kosher and Halal meals; Revisiting British meals.

About this title

About the Author

Dr Herb Meiselman, formerly a Senior Research Scientist at the US Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, has held Visiting Professorships at Reading and Bournemouth Universities, UK, and at Örebro University, Sweden. He is the US editor of the journal Food Quality and Preference, and was a founding editor of Foodservice Technology and the Journal of Foodservice.

From the Back Cover

The meal is the key eating occasion, yet professionals and researchers frequently focus on single food products, rather than the combinations of foods and the context in which they are consumed. Research on meals is also carried out in a wide range of fields and the different disciplines do not always benefit from each others' expertise. This important collection presents contributions on meals from many perspectives, using different methods, and focusing on the different elements involved.

Two introductory chapters in part one summarise the key findings in Dimensions of the Meal, the first book to bring an interdisciplinary perspective to meals, and introduce the current publication by reviewing the key topics discussed in the following chapters. Parts two to four then consider how meals are defined, studied and taught. Major considerations include eating socially and eating alone, the influence of gender, and the different situations of home, restaurant and institutional settings. Part five reviews meals worldwide, with chapters on Brazilian, Indian, Chinese and Thai meals, among others. The final parts discuss meals from further perspectives, including those of the chef, product developer and meal setting designer.

With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Meals in science and practice, is an informative and diverse reference for both professionals and academic researchers interested in food from disciplines such as food product development, food service, nutrition, dietetics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, public health, medicine and marketing.

Edition details

• Publisher: Woodhead Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1845694031
• ISBN 13: 9781845694036
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 704