Food Science and Technology is a multidisciplinary linkage of the sciences of microbiology, chemistry, engineering and nutrition to ensure the production of safe and nutritious food of adequate quantity and quality to feed the world’s population. Various publications refine and expand this definition, sometimes keeping science and technology together, sometimes separating them. Definitions can be as short as ‘the application of scientific principles to create and maintain a wholesome food supply’ (UCDavis) to the separate definitions such as those below (Institute of Food Technologists):

• Food Science: Food science draws from many disciplines such as biology, chemical engineering, and biochemistry in an attempt to better understand food processes and ultimately improve food products for the general public. As the stewards of the field, food scientists study the physical, microbiological, and chemical food properties. By applying their findings, they are responsible for developing the safe, nutritious foods and innovative packaging that line supermarket shelves everywhere.

• Food Technology: The food you consume on a daily basis is the result of extensive food research, a systematic investigation into a variety of foods’ properties and compositions. After the initial stages of research and development comes the mass production of food products using principles of food technology. All of these interrelated fields contribute to the food industry, dealing with food processing and food preservation (which have a long history) .

This wiki will not attempt to keep food science and food technology separate as they must almost always be considered together to give the reader the complete picture. The purpose of this wiki is to outline the main aspects of the combination of all the disparate but interlinked sciences that contribute to the understanding of our food and food products and to understand the technology that allows their production in adequate and sustainable quantities. As a web based document, there is of course no restriction on readership but it is not written for food scientists or food technologists. Instead it is written for consumer scientists and others from the various human sciences disciplines who often provide the linkage between the physical scientists and the end user. Consequently, no section will include any of the mathematical theory underlying that section but will be written in a style that it is hoped will be of use to the target audience.