Rewritten to keep abreast of changing attitudes towards food as well as technological advances, this provides the necessary basis of elementary chemistry and goes on to meet the needs of most food science, home economics and nutrition courses. It covers not only the nature of food and its functions, but describes the changes undergone during, storage, processing, preserving, cooking and eating. Additional chapters discuss spoilage, food poisoning and hygiene. The link between diet and health is emphasized throughout.