Whittemore Library: NUTR 262: Food, Culture, and Society: Basic Info (Books, Facts)

Finding basic information (books, facts)...

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Search the Credo Reference database

Authoritative essays from encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks and more
Find relevant articles using the main search box
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The Reference Room is on the 1st floor of the Whittemore Library
- Located in the back left next to the Reference Desk and the two printer stations
Contains hundreds of authoritative encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, atlases and more
Reference books do not circulate
A Photocopier is available next to the printers outside the Reference Room
The Reference Room is also the Silent Study Room - no noise allowed

FSU's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service

FSU students can receive from other libraries, at no cost to themselves, books that are NOT available at FSU or available from the Minuteman Library Network
Interlibrary loan (ILL) requests can be created, submitted, and managed through the ILL My Account page.
Note that physical books are shipped from other libraries via U.S. Mail; please allow time for items to arrive
Sometimes books borrowed via ILL can be renewed, but sometimes they can't - please plan and make use of them accordingly

Top sources of authoritative information about food and culture

Dictionary of Food (E-book) by Charles Sinclair
ISBN: 1408102188

Publication Date: 2005

More than 25,000 food terms from around the world, as well as concise descriptions of dishes, ingredients, equipment, and techniques.
Dictionary of Food Ingredients (Print book) by Robert S. Igoe
Call Number: Ref TX 551 I26 2011

ISBN: 9781441997128

Publication Date: 2011-06-29

A concise, easy-to-use source of information on over 1,000 food ingredients and additives.
Food: A Dictionary of Literal and Non-literal Terms (Print book) by Robert A. Palmatier
Call Number: TX 349 .P353 2000 Ref

ISBN: 0313314365

Publication Date: 2000

Based on a survey of thirty-three popular and scholarly books, most of them dictionaries, that identify, and in many cases discuss, the literal language of cooking and eating food. Also included, though are examples of when food terms can also be used metaphorically.

Ethnic American Food Today (Print book) by Lucy M. Long
Call Number: Ref TX 349 E86 2015 v.1 v1 (plus 1 more)

ISBN: 9781442227309

Publication Date: 2015

Introduces readers to the myriad ethnic food cultures in the U.S. today. Entries are organized alphabetically by nation and present the background and history of each food culture along with explorations of the place of that food in mainstream American society today.
Food, Feasts, and Faith (Print book) by Paul Fieldhouse
Call Number: Ref BL65 .F65 F54 2017 v.1 v1, plus 1 more

ISBN: 9781610694117

Publication Date: 2017

Offers information on food-related religious beliefs, customs, and practices from around the world.
Foods and Food Production Encyclopedia (Print book) by Douglas M. Considine; Glenn D. Considine
Call Number: TX 349 .F58 1982 Ref

ISBN: 9780442216122

Publication Date: 1995

Comprehensive collection of food production essays.
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Food Issues (Print book) by Ken Albala
Call Number: Ref TX 349 S237 2015 v.1 v1 (plus 2 more)

ISBN: 9781452243016

Publication Date: 2015

"Explores the topic of food across multiple disciplines within the social sciences and related areas including business, consumerism, marketing, and environmentalism. In contrast to the existing reference works on the topic of food that tend to fall into the categories of cultural perspectives, this carefully balanced academic encyclopedia focuses on social and policy aspects of food production, safety, regulation, labeling, marketing, distribution, and consumption."
Sweet Treats Around the World by Timothy Roufs
ISBN: 9781610692212

Publication Date: 2014

Because sweets are universal foods, they are the perfect basis for a comparative study of the intersection of history, geography, social class, religion, politics, and other key aspects of life. This encyclopedia surveys nearly 100 countries, examining their characteristic sweet treats from an anthropological perspective, and offering historical context on what sweets are popular where and why. Emphasizes the cross-cultural insights those sweets present.
World Food (Print book) by Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Call Number: Ref TX 349 S66 2013 v.1 v1, plus 1 more

ISBN: 9780765682789

Publication Date: 2012

This multicultural and interdisciplinary reference brings a fresh social and cultural perspective to the global history of food, foodstuffs, and cultural exchange from the age of discovery to contemporary times.

Controversies in Food and Nutrition (Print book) by Myrna Chandler Goldstein; Mark A. Goldstein
Call Number: TX 355.5 .G65 2002

ISBN: 0313317879

Publication Date: 2002

The authors explain the varying opinions and underlying issues that surround debates about food and nutrition, shedding new light on tensions over popular diets, fast food, and vegetarianism. Readers will gain a better understanding of these arguments and learn of the controversies surrounding lesser known topics as well, such as food irradiation, organic and imported food, vitamin supplementation, animal growth hormones, and more.
Cuisine and Culture (E-book) by Linda Civitello
ISBN: 9781118098752

Publication Date: 2011

Presents an engaging, entertaining, and informative exploration of the interactions among history, culture, and food.From prehistory and the earliest societies in the Fertile Crescent to today's celebrity chefs, 'Cuisine and Culture' presents a multicultural and multi-ethnic approach to understanding how and why major historical events have affected and defined the culinary traditions in different societies.
Food and Social Media (Print book) by Signe Rousseau
Call Number: TX 643 R68 2012)

ISBN: 9780759120426

Publication Date: 2012

"Social media has been a factor in the explosion of interest in food and democratization of food criticism, and this book explains and critique the phenomena and key issues in a lively and anecdotal manner that will appeal to scholars and the interested general public alike."
Food Safety (Print book) by Nina E. Redman; Michele Morrone
Call Number: Ref TX531 .R44 2017 3rd ed

ISBN: 9781440852626

Publication Date: 2017

Examines the history of food safety and describes in detail key events and trends that have created the food safety issues of today. It explores the many controversies concerning food consumption, including contaminants in food, GMOs, factory farm-produced meat, and standards regarding the labeling of food products as well as the ways that these issues have been handled by authorities.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2015-2020 8th Edition (Website / Downloadable PDF) by Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP)
A resource for health professionals and policymakers, grounded in the most current scientific evidence and informed by the recommendations of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Website) by USDA
Government agency that provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families.

100 Million Years of Food (E-book) by Stephen Le; Elizabeth Bruce (Editor)
ISBN: 9781250050427

Publication Date: 2016

A fascinating tour through the evolution of the human diet, and how we can improve our health by understanding our complicated history with food.
The Cambridge World History of Food (E-book) by Kenneth F. Kiple (Editor); Kriemhild Coneè Ornelas (Editor)
ISBN: 0521402166

Publication Date: 2000-10-09

Covers the full spectrum of foods that have been hunted, gathered, cultivated, and domesticated; their nutritional makeup and uses; and their impact on cultures and demography.
First Bite (E-book) by Bee Wilson
ISBN: 9780465073900

Publication Date: 2015

Draws on the latest research from food psychologists, neuroscientists, and nutritionists to reveal that our food habits are shaped by a whole host of factors: family and culture, memory and gender, hunger and love.
Food Heritage Center (Website) by Tom Hughes and Meredith Sayles Hughes
Just as food underlies all human history, so too does food heritage explain so much, about how we ate in the past and will eat in the future. Includes information on food-themed preserved sites, exhibits, historic markers, books, films, and presentations, meant to play a role in helping the public focus on the foods they eat, the plus and minus of the current industrialized food system; the inequalities of food distribution; and what effect the way they eat is having on the environment.
Food in History (Print book) by Reay Tannahill
Call Number: GT 2850 .T34 1995

ISBN: 0517884046

Publication Date: 1995

A world history of food from prehistoric times to the present, packed with intriguing information, lore, and startling insights--like what cinnamon had to do with the discovery of America, and how food has influenced population growth and urban expansion.
The Food Museum (Website) by Tom Hughes and Meredith Sayles Hughes
Publication Date: 2018

Dedicated to discovering, exploring and promoting the world's foods, their histories, and relevance today. High on their list: the establishment of a national museum dedicated to food, possibly on the Mall in Washington, DC.
Food Timeline (Website) by Lynne Olver
Publication Date: 1999

Timeline of the history of foods, with links leading out to further information. Created and maintained solely by Lynne Olver (1958-2015), reference librarian with a passion for food history. Information was checked against standard reference tools for accuracy, and all sources have been cited for research purposes. Given that history often contains conflicting stories, the information included was that with the most documented support. Index included.
From Famine to Fast Food (E-book) by Ken Albala (Editor)
ISBN: 9781610697446

Publication Date: 2014-05-12

Supplies detailed diet- and health-related information about most major countries and regions in a single source. An ideal aid for high school and college students.
Gastro Obscura by Atlas Obscura
Open-source but editor-approved atlas of unique foods.
The Potato Museum (Website) by Tom Hughes and Meredith Sayles Hughes
Publication Date: 2018

Not a product of the potato industry, The Potato Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to exploring the potato's fascinating past, controversial present and promising future.

American Wasteland (Overdrive E-book) by Jonathan Bloom
ISBN: 9780738215624

Publication Date: 2011

Sheds light on the history, culture, and mindset of waste while exploring the parallel eco-friendly and sustainable-food movements.
Eat, Drink, and Be Wary (Overdrive Ebook) by Charles Duncan
ISBN: 9781442238404

Publication Date: 2015

Examines the multitude of dangers in food production, transportation, storing, and preparation that result in preventable illnesses and deaths
Food Politics (E-book) by Marion Nestle; Forward by Michael Pollan
ISBN: 9780520955066

Publication Date: 2013

By explaining how much the food industry influences government nutrition policies and how cleverly it links its interests to those of nutrition experts, this path-breaking book helps us understand more clearly than ever before what we eat and why.
In Defense of Food (E-book) by Michael Pollan
ISBN: 9781101147382

Publication Date: 2008

Pollan proposes a new (and very old) answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
The Locavore's Dilemma (Overdrive E-book) by Pierre Desrochers; Hiroko Shimizu
ISBN: 9781586489410

Publication Date: 2012

A rebuttal to the popularity of locavorism in which the authors argue in favor of the essential role large-scale, industrial producers play in making food more available, varied, affordable, and nutritionally rich.
Real Food, Fake Food (E-book) by Larry Olmsted
ISBN: 9781616206529

Publication Date: 2016

Journalist Larry Olmsted brings readers into the unregulated food industry, revealing the shocking deception that extends from high-end foods like olive oil, wine, and Kobe beef to everyday staples such as coffee, honey, juice, and cheese. It's a massive bait and switch in which counterfeiting is rampant and in which the consumer ultimately pays the price.
Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us (E-book) by Michael Moss
ISBN: 9780679604778

Publication Date: 2013

Traces the rise of the processed food industry and how addictive salt, sugar, and fat have enabled its dominance in the past half century, revealing deliberate corporate practices behind current trends in obesity, diabetes, and other health challenges.
Food, Genes, and Culture by Gary Paul Nabhan
ISBN: 9781610914925

Publication Date: 2013

Today's widespread mismatch between diet and genes is leading to serious health conditions, including a dramatic growth over the last 50 years in auto-immune and inflammatory diseases.
Food, Medicine, and the Quest for Good Health by Nancy Chen
ISBN: 9780231134842

Publication Date: 2008

Drawing on medical texts and food therapy practices from around the world and throughout history, Nancy N. Chen locates old and new crossovers between food and medicine in different social and cultural contexts.
Free for All by Janet Poppendieck
ISBN: 9780520243705

Publication Date: 2010

Explores the deep politics of food provision from multiple perspectives--history, policy, nutrition, environmental sustainability, taste, and more.
Red Pen Reviews (Website) by Stephan Guyanet, Seth Yoder, Mario Kratz, Katherine Pett, and Kevin Klatt
"...Uses a structured expert review method to deliver the most informative, consistent, and unbiased nutrition/health book reviews available, free of charge. Our reviewers all have a master’s degree, equivalent, or higher in a relevant field of science. Each book review is the work of two experts: a primary reviewer who writes the review, and a peer reviewer who checks his work.

"We exist to help consumers distinguish between books that are evidence-based and will promote health, and those that aren’t evidence-based and may harm health."