At the beginning of the semester, I wrote that the meaning of food to me was a way to bring people together. It does not matter what language you speak or what culture you are, we can all come together and share food. This not only builds stronger relationships with other people but also allows us to learn about different cultures. My view of food over the last three months has changed a lot. This is mostly due to the amount of new information I learned surrounding the food industry.
Going into this class, I had some prior knowledge of a few of the topics like organic foods, plant-based alternatives, and sustainability. Despite having prior knowledge I still enjoyed these topics, more so how these topics will shift in the future. For example, I was surprised to learn that plant-based milk is actually growing much faster and is a larger market than plant-based meats.
Some of the topics that were unfamiliar to me at the beginning of the semester were functional foods, clean labeling, and novel foods. I have heard all of the terms before, but ignorant of the specifics of each. Functional foods, for example, were a relatively new concept to me. I had heard of prebiotics and probiotics but had no idea how they actually affected our health. The idea that certain foods can provide health benefits like promoting gut health or even preventing diseases was very interesting. Now, I am more aware of how functional foods are being incorporated into our food and also of the need for regulations regarding health claims, making sure the science backs up the marketing of the product. Another topic that was unfamiliar to me was novel foods. I had heard of lab-grown meat before but had no idea if it was viable or not. It was interesting to learn that it’s actually taking place and could be the future of food by addressing sustainability and food security. One last topic I was unfamiliar with was clean labeling and labeling in general. I never really paid attention to the labels when I bought food, but now I know how vital they are to the product, especially for people who rely on the label due to allergies or food sensitivities.
I think that the biggest thing that has changed for me in terms of thinking about what food means to me is now I have a greater appreciation for the whole process. Learning more about world hunger, I realize how lucky I am to be in a place where food is available. Learning about food safety made me appreciate how much work goes behind the scenes to make the food available and a safe product to eat. Learning about food waste and additives showed me the importance of working in the food industry, trying to not only make food more nutritional and have better flavor but also to reduce waste and try to get nutritional food to those without access. Finally, learning about the future of food science makes me excited about all the different career options I could choose if I pursue a job in the food industry.
Image from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/articles/2018/01/weight-loss-team-aims-to-change-the-way-patients-think-about-eating