Food and nutrition and processed products
The different facets of our diet reflect the varied characteristics of this essential activity. Interactions between need, pleasure, culture, tradition, sharing, etc., are particularly complex. Like Marcel Proust and his madeleine, we can all experience a sensory perception that triggers a vivid memory of the past, corresponding to a particular food. In our subconscious, healthy foods are associated with "natural" or "unprocessed" products, this notion however is far from being true!
Human food engineering always consists in utilising, adapting and processing nutrients from the environment to best satisfy both our vital needs and our hedonic pleasures. Today, 80% of the food we consume is processed. Environmental pressures – in the broadest sense of the term – make it more than ever necessary to pursue research that will further optimise food processing technologies. This research must serve the need for sustainable development and comply with the constraints of global trade, while taking account of the increasing wealth of knowledge on health and safety. This is a major challenge, particularly since acceptability to consumers must be central to strategic thinking about the paths that need to be investigated.
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