The goal of
Molecules, Microbes, and Meals
is to provide an overview of the science of food, exploring all aspects of how food products we purchase and consume come to have the characteristics they do. The key focus is on the science underpinning the appearance, flavor, texture and qualities of food, and the transformations that occur when we cook food products. Every food product is a highly complex scientific entity, and a key objective of the book is to show that an understanding of the science of food can enhance our appreciation and wonder at it. Another key theme will be the convergence of science and art in food, and the history of food, whereby we have known how to undertake what are exceptionally scientifically complex activities such as fermentation, pasteurization and cooking long before the scientific basis for what was happening was understood.