We are in the midst of an unprecedented era of rapid scientific and technological advances that are transforming the way our foods are produced and consumed. Food architecture is being used to construct healthier, tastier, and more sustainable foods. Functional foods are being created to combat chronic diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. These foods are fortified with nutraceuticals or probiotics to improve our mood, performance, and health. The behavior of foods inside our guts is being controlled to increase their healthiness. Precision nutrition is being used to tailor diets to our unique genetic profiles, microbiomes, and metabolisms. Gene editing, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence are being used to address modern food challenges such as feeding the growing global population, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste, and improving sustainability. However, the application of these technologies is facing a backlash from consumers concerned about the potential risks posed to human and environmental health.
Some of the questions addressed in Future Foods are: What is food architecture? How does sound and color impact taste? Will we all have 3D food printers in all our homes? Should nanotechnology and gene editing be used to enhance our foods? Are these new technologies safe? Would you eat bug-foods if it led to a more sustainable food supply? Should vegetarians eat themselves? Can nutraceuticals and probiotics stop cancer? What is the molecular basis of a tasty sustainable burger?
Chapter 1: The Science of Foods: Designing our Edible Future
Chapter 2: Food Architecture: Building Better Foods
Chapter 3: The Science of Deliciousness
Chapter 4: Food Gastrology: The Science of Digestion
Chapter 5: Are You What You Eat?
Chapter 6: Nutraceuticals - Superfoods or Superfads
Chapter 7: Feeding the World Inside Us: The Gut Microbiome, Diet, and Health
Chapter 8: Personalized Nutrition - Customizing Our Diets for Better Health
Chapter 9: Food Biotechnology: Sculpting Genes with Genetic Engineering
Chapter 10: Food Nanotechnology: Harnessing the Power of the Miniature World That Surrounds Us
Chapter 11: Towards a More Ethical and Sustainable Edible Future: One Burger at a Time
Chapter 12: The Future of Foods?
David Julian McClements was born in the north of England but has lived in California, Ireland, France, and Massachusetts since then. He is currently a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts where he specializes in the areas of food design and nanotechnology. He has written numerous books, published over 900 scientific articles, been granted a number of patents, and presented his work at invited talks around the world. He is currently the most highly cited author in the food and agricultural sciences. He has received awards from numerous scientific organizations in recognition of his achievements and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, American Chemical Society, and Institute of Food Technologists. His research has been funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, NASA, and the food industry.