Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

The Business of Food: Encyclopedia of the Food and Drink Industries. Edited by Gary Allen and Ken Albala. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2007. 1 vol. 439 p. $85.00 ISBN 10: 0-313-33725-X; 13: 978-0-313-33725-3.

If the business of food is a mystery to most students, this encyclopedia takes the reader behind the scenes to find our world of food and drink. The 155 signed entries are listed in the front followed by a topic list divided by agriculture; animals; beverages; companies and brands; consumer; environment, health, and science; finance; food culture, foodstuffs and ingredients, government, industry, people, and restaurants. Inset boxes have additional information such as a list of the "Key Points in Bottling History" and "Got Milk? A Dairy Timeline." The section on "The Cable Network" introduces the Foodnetwork Web site which is reported to have 6,000,000 unique visitors each month. Essays are signed, and some have suggestions for further reading. "See References" direct the reader to other articles. A 17-page bibliography includes books and Web sites. If one wanted to debate genetic engineering related to food products, they would find a good introduction to their topic. Whether students are taking homemaking and need to look up something about condiments or chocolate, many students will enjoy this introduction to their favorite fast food restaurant or coffee house. This is a most interesting introduction to the food business in the United States.