eChapters

Wetland birds serve an important ecosystem function of accelerating the nutrient cycling in the feeding grounds (Morales and Pacheco, 1986) and regulating fish populations (Miranda, 1995). According to Drent and Dann (1980), the availability of food is of primary importance to the birds during migration when, they store energy for winter survival and successful completion of migration. Many migrant shorebirds relay on a few key stopover sites to complete their annual migratory cycle (Myers et al., 1987), which provide a unique combination of food resources and habitat necessary to support these large numbers of birds (Myers, 1984).

When animal species assemble at a particular area, they utilise individual but overlapping segments of the habitat (MacArthur, 1958). Karr (1980) stated that resource utilization pattern and the community organization are determined by a combination of variables. The availability and preference of the food organisms, feeding behaviour and utilization of the habitat for feeding and reproduction differ in co-existing animal species. Periods of rapid change in prey populations offer important opportunities to study the relationship between predators and their prey. In particular, such studies can yield information on the functional response of predators to a changing prey environment and the role of prey dynamics in the regulation of predator population size.

Introduction

The concept of feeding system of different aquatic components of the aquaculture is not simple like that of domestic animals where feed, feeding and the animals can be observed closely and manipulated at once. In case of aquaculture both biotic and abiotic factors play an important role in feeding as well as the growth of the animal. Factors like water temperature, dissolved oxygen, light intensity, etc. regulate the intake of feeding, its digestion and assimilation. Conditioning factor, feed conversion rate, survival rate, percent weight gain, daily weight gain, specific growth rate are some of the parameters used routinely to monitor the effects of feeding on growth performance of the fish.

In aquaculture, supplementary feed is provided in conjunction with the available natural food such as plankton, periphyton, benthic organisms, aquatic plants etc. Aquaculture is a feed-based industry, with artificial feed accounting for major expenditure exceeding 60% of total operational cost. In India, freshwater aquaculture is mainly carp-based, which accounts for about 89% of total aquaculture production (Ayyappan and Jena, 1998). Successful and sustainable aquaculture depends upon the provision of nutritionally adequate, eco-friendly and economically viable artificial feeds. Effective utilization of feed depends upon many factors such as acceptability of the feed, its digestion, assimilation etc. apart from other rearing management protocols.

Food and Industrial Microbiology

    1.    Microbiology often has been defined as the study of organisms and agents too small to be seen clearly by the unaided eye—that is, the study of microorganisms

    2.    Two bacteria that are visible without a microscope, Thiomargarita and Epulopiscium.

    3.    Procaryotic cells [Greek pro, before, and karyon, nut or kernel; organism with a primordial nucleus] have a much simpler morphology than eucaryotic cells and lack a true membrane-delimited nucleus. All bacteria are procaryotic.

    4.    Eukaryotic cells [Greek eu, true, and karyon, nut or kernel] have a membrane- enclosed nucleus; they are more complex morphologically and are usually larger than procaryotes. Algae, fungi, protozoa, higher plants, and animals are eucaryotic.

    5.    The ordinary microscope is called a bright-field microscope because it forms a dark image against a brighter background

    1.    Laminar flow hood works on the principle of 
        a)    High-efficiency particulate air filter
        b)    High-energy particulate air filter
        c)     High-efficiency pressure air filter
        d)     None
    2.    Most of the organisms are killed
        a)    121°C for 5 min.    b)    15lb/in²
        c)     a & b    d)     None
    3.    Autoclaving is not recommended for
        a)    Oils    b)    Powders
        c)     Sensitive fluids    d)     All

1.    Evolutionary relationships between groups of organisms are determined using comparisons of

(a) Biochemical pathways

(b) Nucleotide sequences

(c) Structural features

(d) All of these

2.    The different bacterial species can be subdivided into

(a) Serovarieties

(b) Biovarietites

(c) Subspecies

(d) All of these

3.    Kingdom Prokaryotae include

(a) Bacteria

(b) Protozoa

(c) Fungi

(d) None of these

Introduction

India is one among the progressive countries in the world in maintaining food and nutrition database efficiently. The country has been in the fore front in signing the resolution on ‘Transforming the World: the agenda for Sustainable Development-2030’. India outstood among the developing countries in food self-sufficiency since seventies with low household hunger rates and low infant mortality rate. In the meanwhile, the country faced double burden of food and nutrition with inadequate dietary intake and under nutrition in one hand and overweight due to low physical activities on the other hand. Rapid increase in population with diminishing food production led to food insufficiency and malnutrition whereas, rapid economic growth and increasing mechanization led to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. Both the under- and over nutrition are associated with health hazards, hence, use of normal body mass index (BMI)would be considered as an indicator for food security (FAO, 2013)

Set 1

1. Match the followings:

1. (a & i), (b & ii), (c & iii), (d & vi)
2. (a & ii), (b & i), (c & iv), (d & iii)
3. (a & iii), (b & i), (c & iv), (d & ii)
4. (a & iv), (b & ii), (c & i), (d & iii)

1. INTRODUCTION

It is hard to conceive which came first on earth, human being or food. If the human was born first, he or she needed food immediately to survive. Thereafter, the human beings continued to need food and continued to eat food throughout his or her life. Hence, the relationship between human being and food is permanent and the requirement of food for the human being to be alive is everlasting. Further, sources of food may survive in nature without human intervention but human being can not remain alive without food. This clearly signifies the permanent bondage of human being and food which is inseparable under any circumstances. ‘Thus, should we state that every human being necessarily needs food and should have right to food as soon as born.

In order to further strengthen this view, the governance which rules human beings should also be protective and enact laws to ensure food to each human being born in respective countries.

2. BACKGROUND

•   “Hunger is exclusion”, wrote de Castro (1963) a Brazilian anti-hunger advocate. “Exclusion from the land, from jobs, wages, income, life and citizenship. When a person gets to the point of not having anything to eat, it is because all the rest has been denied. This is a modern form of exile. It is death in life”.

•   Simply by being born, everyone has the right to food. A person doesn’t have to do anything to “deserve” it; the right to food is a birthright. But this does not entitle a person to sit back and ask for free food. People are responsible for doing all they can to realize their own right to food. Governments that are parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are responsible for ensuring that all those living within their borders have the means to do so, (FAO, 2007).

•   Broadly speaking, governments should create peaceful, stable, free and prosperous environments in which people can feed themselves in dignity. Even without a legal obligation to do so, countries have a moral obligation to ensure freedom from hunger (FAO, 2007).

Introduction

Hunger and all forms of malnutrition continue to cause widespread suffering throughout the world. Malnutrition in children commonly leads to poor growth and poor physical and mental development, increased morbidity and, all too often, death. Among adults, malnutrition leads to lethargy, frequent illness and poor health, reduced physical capacity to do work, poor pregnancy outcomes among women, decreased cognitive function and a loss of learning potential and productivity. Widespread hunger and malnutrition also serve as severe impediments to social and economic development at both community and national levels. After years of steady progress, recent setbacks in the fight against hunger and malnutrition arising from the combined effects of high food prices and the global economic downturn coupled with the continuing problems of underdevelopment, civil strife, inadequate food supplies, social discrimination and environmental stress, jeopardize the earlier hopes for achieving the poverty, hunger and nutrition-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to FAO, there were 105 million more hungry people in 2009 than in the previous year and the number of malnourished people now stands at 1.02 billion. In the worst-affected countries, individual productivity losses due to malnutrition are equivalent to 10% of lifetime earnings, resulting in gross domestic product (GDP) losses of up to 3%. Around the world close to 10 million children die before their fifth birthday every year, over one-third of which are associated with under nutrition. One in three developing-country children under the age of five - 178 million children – are stunted due to chronic under nutrition and poor health, and some 148 million children are underweight. Micronutrient deficiencies or “hidden hunger” affects around 2 billion people worldwide or about one third of the world’s population. These vitamin and mineral deficiencies, especially of iron, iodine, zinc and vitamin A, lead to poor physical growth and development, lowered mental capacities, reduced productivity, impaired immune systems, blindness and death - all of which are preventable.

Introduction

Fish symbolizes as prosperity and fertility of the region rather than for its food and nutritional security in many parts of the world. The abundant inland waters resources such as reservoirs, rivers and wetlands contribute to meet the food and nutritional security of a nation. The rich diversity of freshwater fish fauna supplements as a quality animal source protein, macro and micro nutrients for the health benefits of all age group of human population. Hence, the fishery activities such as fish catch and production enhancement from inland water resources are emphasized to scale up to meet the growing demand. The world fish production through inland capture fisheries has increased from 10.5 million tons in 2009 to 11.9 tons in 2014. The utilization of the existing vast inland resources through technical interventions would impact on food and nutritional security and livelihood of the fishers and rural masses of the developing countries.

Ice cream is not only an indulgent frozen dessert but also a food containing several nutrients derived from milk, cream, sugars, and other ingredients. This chapter examines ice cream from a nutritional and food-science perspective, focusing on its major nutritional components and energy contribution. It discusses milk fat, proteins, lactose, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and the nutritional effects of formulation. The chapter also considers energy value, portion size, digestibility, and palatability. Understanding these factors helps explain why ice cream provides both nutritional and sensory value. The discussion provides a balanced foundation for evaluating ice cream as part of varied diets and developing products for different consumer requirements.

The major components of foods are the protein, carbohydrates and fat. The spoilage of foods containing fats includes the deterioration of the fatty components; the principal difficulties found in their preservation are in the development of rancidity. The spoilage of fats and oils has received much attention and substantial progress has been made in their preservation. One of the major causes of food deterioration is the chemical oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in the lipids present in all foods. These fats are present in fat deposits and in cell membranes. End products of lipids oxidation, mainly aldehydes and ketones, contribute to the rancid off flavour and odours in the foods.

Fatty acids in food occur in the form of esters with the alcohol. The predominant esters are triacylglycerols accompanied by minor amounts of mono- and diacylglycerols and free fatty acids. The unsaturated bonds present in all fats and oils represent active sites that can react with oxygen. This reaction leads to formation of primary, secondary, and tertiary oxidation products that may make the fat or fat containing food unsuitable for consumption. Other consequences of oxidation include discolouration; changes in the texture, flavour and taste; and loss of nutritional value due to the destruction of essential fatty acids as well vitamins. Unsaturated fatty acids are subject to oxidation at their double bonds. In the presence of suitable catalysts, or in contact with lipooxidase enzymes, long chained unsaturated fatty acids may be fragmented to short chained fatty acids. The cleavage usually involves an intermediate peroxide formation. Many chemicals compounds aid in food preservation to protect the nutrients, flavour and texture, and storage stability of food stuff for longer period.

1. Introduction

Bamboo has historically been an integral part of human culture. Bamboo is a mystical plant representing symbol of strength, flexibility, tenacity, endurance and compromise. Throughout Asia, bamboo has for centuries been integral to religions, ceremonies, art, music and daily life. Bamboo provides numerous environmental benefits such as playing a critical role in the balance of oxygen/carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Bamboo is the fastest growing canopy for the regreening of degraded areas and generates more oxygen than equivalent ultraviolet rays. It is an atmospheric and soil purifier. Its soil conservation properties create an effective watershed, stitching the soil together along fragile river banks, deforested areas, and in places prone to earthquakes and land slides. Its fast growing and high yield nature makes it a highly valued renewable resource. Its low cost and abundance call for its utilization to a full extent. 

SYNOPSIS

Food is an essential element without which human being cannot survive. We need it for our maintenance and growth everyday and through the longevity of our life. As we understand food, it is a bunch of essential elements which is essentially needed for the engine of human body to run non-stop. The understanding of food is much required by masses who consume it every day. The present paper attempts to describe the knowledge on food, feeling on food by consumers, prevailing food, hunger and malnutrition, healthy food and studies required on consumable foods.

Previous Year Questions

1. Differentiate between protective foods and energy foods. (10M, IFoS 2015)

2. What do you mean by ‘hunger’ and ‘hidden hunger’? Comment on various strategies in combating hunger. (15M, CSE 2021)

3. Classify foods on the basis of their function (5M, 2023)

Introduction

Terrorism has been experienced throughout human history by unlawful violence against innocent population to achieve financial or religious or political objective (Rakesh Gupta, 1998). Terrorism has no geographic or geopolitical boundaries and is adapting to changes in the socio-political environment. Progress in the area of science and technology have the potential to be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes leading to dual-use dilemma. Of late, more scenarios are witnessed where the applications of well-intentioned scientific research are being used for vicious purposes. Earlier, terrorism has been associated primarily with physical acts of violence and crime. Eventually the global militant and terrorism strategies evolved to chemical, nuclear, radioactive explosive agents to biological terrorism. Recently, cyber terrorism controlled by computers has seen a new form of criminal activities (www.hannover-re. com).

Introduction

A food safety system revolves around different aspects, beginning right from the farm, where the food is created and transported to where the customers purchase, eat and dispose. This includes production, processing, distribution, preparation, marketing, access, consumption, and disposal. These processes need to have numerous resources like people, business, farms, communities, interventions, policies, and politics. All steps ought to be coordinated for an organisation to make progress. In today’s world of processed foods and industrial farming practices, ingredients and preparation procedures are typically uncertain. In order to reduce the confusion of consumers and to provide quick, straightforward identification of the commodities they’re searching for, many items are now “certified” by revered organizations.

Food safety certification is a third-party verification, to ensure that commodities, processes or systems in the food supply chain meet accepted food safety standards. It is distinct from different systems like supplier declarations, laboratory test reports or inspection body reports. Food certification is predicated on the results of tests, inspections and audits and provides confidence to the buyer as a result of an organization’s commodities or system are being completely evaluated against accepted national and international business standards by a competent third body.

Introduction
Food Chains
Food chains are made up of organisms that eat and are devoured by one another as a means of transferring energy from the source in plants. “The transfer of energy from plants through a series of organisms with repeated eating and being eaten” is one definition of it.
A food chain is the movement of energy from producers at one trophic level to consumers at the next. In a food chain, energy moves only in one direction. An understanding of food chains can provide important insights into how ecosystems work.
• Grazing food chain
Grazing food chains and detritus food chains are the two main categories of food chains.
The food chain known as grazing begins with living green plants, moves through grazing herbivores, and ends with carnivores. Such a food chain places an immediate demand on ecosystems for solar radiation. From an energy perspective, these chains are very significant.

    1.    What is the percentage of water in an adult’s body weight
        a)    50%    b)    60%
        c)    90%    d)    70%
    2.    __________ is a direct reactant in hydrolytic processes of many foods
        a)    Water    b)    Moisture content
        c)    Both a&b    d)    None
    3.    The bond angle of the isolated water molecule (vapor state) is
        a)    109°    b)    104.5°
        c)    109°28'    d)     103.6°