LibGuides: Food Technology: DVD, Web, Video

DVD

King Corn: You Are What You Eat by Ian Cheney Fueled by curiosity and a dash of naiveté, college buddies Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis return to their ancestral home of Greene, Iowa, to find out how the modest corn kernel conquered America. With the help of real farmers, powerful fertilizer, government aid, and genetically modified seeds, the friends manage to grow one acre of corn. Along the way, they unlock the hidden truths about America's modern food system.
Call Number: DVD SB191.M2K56 2008
Publication Date: 2008

Podcast

Food Safety Matters Food Safety Matters is a podcast for food safety professionals hosted by the Food Safety Magazine editorial team – the leading media brand in food safety for over 20 years. Each episode will feature a conversation with a food safety professional sharing their experiences and insights of the important job of safeguarding the world’s food supply.

Websites

Cheese Science Toolkit If you're curious about cheddar, you've gouda check out Cheese Science Toolkit. The website is the passion project of Pat Polowsky, who is both a food scientist and a web front end developer, the perfect skill set for creating this web-based science guidebook about cheese. Polowsky says the audience for the Cheese Science Toolkit is anyone who interacts with cheese after it is made, including cheese sellers, buyers, eaters, and "all-around curd nerds". The main content on the site is a series of posts on all topics cheese. Dear to those of us in Wisconsin is the short science byte post entitled "Squeak" that answers the questions, "Why do cheese curds squeak? And why do they lose their squeak?" Another post provides a handy cheese classification chart, categorizing cheeses into unripened, soft cheese (e.g. ricotta, chevre, or fresh mozzarella) and ripened, harder cheese (e.g. Cheddar, Limberger, or Parmesan). For those looking for even more cheese education, an announcement on the website indicates that Polowsky has partnered with the Vermont Cheese Council to offer an online course, The Science of Farmstead Cheese. The course is fee-based, which gives students access to all course materials for one year, but a free preview is available to help prospective students decide if they'd like to sign up. [DS]
Food Processing
"The Information Source for Food and Beverage Manufacturing"
Food Processing Suppliers Association
Food Safety News
"Breaking news for everyone's consumption"
Food System Primer: Food Processing
Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
ISO Standards Catalogue: 67 - Food Technology
Prepared Foods
USDA: FoodData Central Food Data Central is an excellent resource for those interested in health and food-science research. Published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the website includes "five distinct data types that provide information on food and nutrient profiles." Readers may want to begin on the About Us section, which includes information about the five data types. For example, Foundation Foods consists of nutrient composition for a wide range of foods and ingredients, while Experimental Foods provides links to relevant agricultural research data from multiple sources. The other three data types are: Standard Reference Legacy Release, Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies 2013-2014 (FNDDS), and USDA Global Branded Food Products Database. A useful search bar is available both on the center of the Home page and on the left-hand side of the screen when visiting other pages. Search inquiries include all five data types, and the results list indicates where each individual search result originated. For example, searching "mochi" brings 1 hit from FNDDS and 87 from the Branded Food Products Database. Users should note that limited search features and results are available when conducting a search on a mobile device.

Streaming Video

All About Food Additives Most foods that are purchased for everyday consumption and which pass through some form of industrialized processing contain additives of one type or another. In a sense, humans have used food additives for thousands of years—the use of salt, spices, and other enhancements can be considered a basic foray into the art and science of food additives. This video explores a wide variety of food additive types, including colors, flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelling agents, antioxidants, and processing aids, any or all of which might be found in a typical packaged grocery item. Supported by exciting visual images and graphics, a respected food scientist discusses the core concepts of additives, why we use them, and what kind of impact they have on nutrition. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (20 minutes)
Canned: Quirky Science Who came up with the idea of canned food? In 1809 Napoleon Bonaparte held a contest, with a prize of 12,000 francs for the person who could come up with the most innovative method of preserving food. The winner was Nicolas François Appert, who submitted a method of boiling and sealing food in glass bottles. This program examines how that method led to the British invention of canning, which has changed how we eat. Viewers also learn how canned food could cause the harshest diseases and how Louis Pasteur discovered why with his germ theory. And now, the future brings canned food that is “zapped” through a process called raddapertization. Part of the series Quirky Science. (25 minutes)
Developments in the Food Industry: Science, Technology, and the Environment Although genetic modification of plants and animals has been going on since the dawn of agriculture, technological changes of unprecedented scope have taken place in the food industry within the past few decades. This program explores the impact of technology on food production and the development of new and emerging foods. Viewers are introduced to recently devised methods of genetic modification and selective breeding which have expanded both crop and livestock yields. Other topics include the growth of the novelty food industry and new approaches to food packaging design, reflecting concern over ecological issues. Prominent academics add commentary. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (29 minutes)
Farm to Fork: Primary and Secondary Processing How does food get from the farm to our table? In this video, we trace the route cereals, fruits, vegetables and dairy products take to get from their point of origin to the consumer. We also explore why there are often several processing steps before food can reach your plate.
The Flavorists Meet the scientists who create flavors that make foods and beverages so tasty that critics say they're addictive.
Food How do we harness energy to feed our growing population without the downsides of industrialization? FOOD traces a centuries-long journey across Europe, Asia, and the United States to show us the energy it takes to bring us our food. Distributed by PBS Distribution.
Food Imaging: The Science Squad The microscopic structure of food significantly affects its processing characteristics, flavor properties and texture. This program highlights research that could provide keys to understanding and controlling food behavior, which would solve the 'reduced fat but better taste' challenge facing modern society.
Food of the Future What will we be eating in the next five years? Pay a visit to the assembly lines of the world’s biggest food company, the cutting-edge kitchens of “molecular gastronomists,” and laboratories where scientists cook up petri-dish steak. Provocative, edgy, and even surreal, the final part of the series ventures into the great unknown to see the future of food. Our guides are scientists, foodies, fishermen, bloggers, and one of the most popular chefs in the world, Jamie Oliver. Part of the series Great Food Revolution. (43 minutes)
Food Science : Molecular Gastronomy: The Science Squad Food has been long considered an art form. But for years, top chefs have also been dabbling in the world of science. Molecular Gastronomy is commonly used to describe the modern style of cuisine involving fancy foams, gels and smoke embraced by top chefs all over the world. This program takes a look a look at some of the processes involved in creating the perfect plate of food, from the science labs of University College Cork, to the Michelin-star kitchen of Chapter One restaurant in Dublin.
Industrial Ingredients: Food Science in Action Almost any frozen pizza or carton of ice cream from the grocery store contains factory-produced, lab-developed ingredients. Do these materials have a functional purpose, an aesthetic one, or both? What kind of technology is needed to create and incorporate them? This video addresses those questions as it illustrates the uses and benefits of industrial food components. With examples from real-world production facilities, the video demonstrates large-scale food processing steps like emulsification, anticaking, and foaming; explores reasons for putting industrial ingredients into food products, such as consumer safety and quality consistency; and looks at sustainable food production, nutraceuticals, and other crucial topics. A viewable/printable teacher’s guide is available online. (25 minutes)
Launching a Food Product (5 parts) This five-part series takes viewers through the process of developing and designing a new food product, from food trends, to market research, to creating ideas, to packaging. Ideal for senior secondary students and beyond.
Modern Milk, Episode 5 American dairy is undergoing a renaissance. A cottage industry of dairy farmers, cheesemakers and creameries are creating delicious alternatives to industrial milk. Meet west-coast raw milk revolutionaries, Vermont cheese entrepreneurs making serious cheddar, and ice cream innovators in San Francisco and New York City. Distributed by PBS Distribution.
The New Science of Food Our understanding of a healthy diet is based on outdated science and questionable advice. Recent findings are fundamentally changing the way we think about food. Individual nutrients like fats, carbohydrates and proteins are no longer the key. From a street market in Brazil to a donut shop in Boston, we reveal the surprising truth of dietary science.
Preparing and Processing Foods Since prehistoric times, the preservation of food has played an essential role in human survival—providing the stability and cultural traditions needed to create societies. This program looks at motivations and methods for preserving and processing food, how these take shape in various cultures, and the health considerations which present-day food suppliers and vendors must take into account. Viewers will learn about the properties of different foods, food policy and regulations, and the importance of hygiene standards, quality control, processing systems, and monitoring. Social, cultural, and religious meanings are examined. The video includes a case study involving milk production. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (23 minutes)
Quality Control in Food Technology Although it is a crucial aspect of modern food technology, quality control may also be the biggest challenge for any food-producing company. This program identifies quality standards that exist in various parts of the world, explores ways of measuring and monitoring quality, and looks at who is responsible for QC within a large food manufacturer. Students are introduced to HACCP and GMP systems for assuring quality and safety in food, and manufacturer recalls are discussed. Experts share their knowledge about packaging labels, explaining what they communicate and what they don’t, while halal, kosher, and other cultural certification systems are also featured. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (25 minutes)
Shall We Soon Be Eating In Vitro Meat? Eighteen percent of greenhouse gasses allegedly come from livestock rearing, and animal rights groups have documented cruelty and abuses in mass meat production. Does cultured meat—which numerous scientists in various countries are working on—open up real perspectives for feeding a rising population and for fighting pollution or does it represent a false hope? Will the environmental arguments put forward in its favor be enough to convince consumers to eat cultured meat? Is the current commercial success of the first meat-substitute products available on the market heralding a change in what we eat? This documentary, shot in the U.S., France, and Holland, will change the way you see steak—forever!
Tomorrow's Food (3-part series) We’re living in a world where computers can give us brand-new taste sensations; where our burger is more likely to come from a petri dish or an insect farm than a field, and where 3D printing could transform the way we cook. This eye-opening series will change the way we think about the food we grow, buy, and eat—now and in the future. It showcases some amazing innovations and jawdropping advances from around the world that will soon be on our doorstep—from future-facing farms whose crops never see daylight to space-age supermarket aisles and restaurants staffed by robots.
The Trouble with Chicken Every year, Salmonella causes more hospitalizations and deaths than any other foodborne illness, with about one in four pieces of raw chicken contaminated with Salmonella today. Why isn't the U.S. food safety system stopping the threat? Correspondent David E. Hoffman investigates how and why the standards and laws around Salmonella have failed to keep up with the increasing danger posed by some strains of the bacteria. The film looks closely at the largest Salmonella poultry outbreak in history, when more than 600 people were sickened over 16 months. Delving into the complex world of food safety, through interviews with local and national public health officials, as well as victims and a top-level poultry industry executive, the film reveals the discrepancies that exist when it comes to foodborne bacteria--contrasting how regulators cracked down hard on E. coli 0157 in raw beef and banned it outright after a deadly outbreak at Jack-in-the-Box two decades ago, but have not taken such decisive action with dangerous kinds of Salmonella, leaving consumers to protect themselves. Distributed by PBS Distribution
Under Cover: Packaging Food We've come a long way from the days when the milkman delivered fresh dairy to your doorstep and the grocer hand-packed bread into plain paper bags. Today, food is packaged in a wide range of designs and materials that can be squeezed, shaken, poured, baked, and microwaved. This program explores some of the latest innovations in food packaging and examines the factors driving these changes. We learn about packaging that extends a food's shelf life without relying on artificial preservatives, containers that can be easily opened, and mechanisms designed to protect certain foods from deliberate tampering. We highlight how some consumer pressure against overpackaging and in favor of recyclable materials has affected the packaging industry, and we see examples of how creative packaging designs can make a product stand out on supermarket shelves. Part of the series Food for Thought. (15 minutes)