Najlepiej spożyć przed… Czyli o tym, co masz na talerzu

by Nicola Temple, Maria Moskal (Translator)

Mięso zjedz, ziemniaki zostaw? Niekoniecznie!

Ludzie od wieków przetwarzali jedzenie, gotując, opiekając na ogniu czy poddając procesowi fermentacji. Patrząc jednak na produkty dostępne w supermarkecie, zastanawiamy się, czy obecnie nie posunęliśmy się za daleko.

Współczesna nauka wypracowała wiele metod przetwórstwa żywności. Wbrew obiegowej opinii pokarmy przetworzone to nie zawsze uzależniające, wywołujące otyłość produkty wielkich koncernów. Biolożka Nicola Temple w zajmujący sposób opisuje, co zawierają gotowe dania, jakimi sposobami opóźnia się psucie warzyw i owoców oraz jakie zastosowanie w przetwórstwie ma nanotechnologia. Wyjaśnia, jak na ewolucję naszych ulubionych pokarmów wpływały interesy koncernów, innowacje, marnotrawstwo, a nawet wojna. Zagląda też w przyszłość, w której konsumujemy steki hodowane w probówkach czy pizzę z drukarki 3D.

Dzięki książce Najlepiej spożyć przed... staniemy się racjonalnymi konsumentami, potrafiącymi ocenić, co w sferze żywności przetworzonej jest dla nas akceptowalne, a co nie. Uzbrojeni w tę wiedzę możemy śmiało wkroczyć do supermarketu.

Czy wiesz, że:

• klej mięsny, naturalnie występujący enzym, używany jest do sklejania małych kawałków mięsa w duże płaty?
• delikatne podgrzewanie całych jabłek sprawia, że po pokrojeniu zachowują one jędrność?
• konsumenci nie znoszą brzydkich warzyw i owoców, a więc jedzenie jest przetwarzane również ze względów estetycznych?

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Science

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2018

Reviews

[Maćkowy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wiedzieliście, że pokrojona w kostkę marchewka to żywność przetworzona? Praktycznie każda czynność, której poddajemy jedzenie, od cięcia czy siekania, spryskiwanie nanosrebrem szparagów by zachowały dłużej świeżość, aż po drukowanie pizzy na drukarkach 3D, to przetwórstwo spożywcze. Proces ten towarzyszy człowiekowi od momentu, gdy pierwszy z nas postanowił ogrzać nad ogniem trzymany w kudłatych łapach kawałek mięsa i będzie trwał tak długo, jak długo będzie istniała ludzkość, chociaż ostatnia puszka z zakonserwowaną ludzką ręką mielonką, pewnie nas „przeżyje”. Biolożka Nicola Temple zaprasza czytelnika do świata tego co mamy na talerzu, podpowiada co „najlepiej spożyć przed...”, a czego w ogóle lepiej nie spożywać.

„Najlepiej spożyć przed…” składa się z dziewięciu dość krótkich rozdziałów. Autorka prowadzi nas przez historię przetwórstwa spożywczego od zarania, po możliwą przyszłość tego co jemy. Z książki dowiadujemy się między innymi jak powstały ser i chleb, dlaczego lepiej jeść warzywa sezonowe, niż zajadać się w styczniu truskawkami, czy gotowe dania do samodzielnego odgrzania są tak straszne, jak je malują, oraz czy wszystkie konserwanty upychane przez producentów w żywność są dla nas szkodliwe. Autorka pisze lekko, nawet trudne zagadnienia, jak budowa tłuszczów nasyconych i opis skomplikowanych procesów technologicznych zachodzących podczas obróbki żywości, tłumaczy jasno i klarownie, często odwołując się do własnych doświadczeń i przedstawiając czytelnikowi własny punkt widzenia.

Bardzo podobało mi się w jak wyważony sposób pani Temple podchodzi do kontrowersyjnych tematów związanych z gotowymi daniami, używaniem konserwantów, czy poczciwego glutenu. Wyniki wielu jej obserwacji, jak na przykład porównanie składu i kaloryczności domowego spaghetti bolognese z jego gotowym, mrożonym odpowiednikiem, były dla mnie zaskakujące, chociaż na co dzień staram się świadomie dokonywać wyboru żywości, która trafia na mój talerz i uważam się za w miarę świadomego konsumenta, to po lekturze „Najlepiej spożyć przed…” inaczej patrzę na wszelkiej warzywa i owoce bio i inne produkty eko, których produkcja w ostatecznym rozrachunku niewspółmiernie bardziej obciąża środowisko naturalne.

„Najlepiej spożyć przed…” nie jest jednak pozycją bez wad. Niektóre tematy zostały opisane przez autorkę bardzo pobieżnie, inne, jak przyszłość przetwórstwa spożywczego, ogranicza się do ledwie dwóch stron tekstu. Książka skupia się głównie na Ameryce Północnej i w Wielkiej Brytanii, gdzie przepisy odnośnie konserwantów w żywności i jej przetwarzania, są mniej restrykcyjne niż w Unii Europejskiej, a kultura spożywania gotowych posiłków jest zupełnie inna niż w Polsce. Wątpię również, czy istnieje u nas chociaż jeden dom, w którym nie wekuje lub nigdy nie wekowało się słoików z przetworami na zimę.

Słowem podsumowania, jeśli spodziewacie się po tej książce sensacyjnych treści o tym, jak branża spożywcza truje konsumentów, zawiedziecie się. Jeśli jednak szukacie wyważonej lekkiej pozycji, napisanej na chłodno i obiektywnie, po lekturze której będziecie bardziej świadomi tego co jecie, co jest szkodliwe, a co, mimo medialnej nagonki, możecie jeść śmiało to „Najlepiej spożyć przed…” jest książką dla was.

Za książkę dziękuję Klubowi Recenzenta portalu nakanapie.pl

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was kind of flat for me, and wasn't nearly at all what I expected. The writing, while technically and scientifically interesting, just didn't hold my attention, and the author's humor was quite strange.

I was really surprised that the first chapter (on cheese!) was nearly half the book. The history of cheese and dairy preservation really isn't *that* interesting...

[Kitten Kisser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally I find books of this type engaging. I typically re-read memorable passages to myself as well as aloud to others in hopes of engaging discussion. This was not one such book. The premise behind the book could have been more engaging if it was perhaps written by someone more skilled at writing in a more conversational way that kept the reader interested.

The author does try to add a bit of wit & humor to make the story more interesting but unlike other authors, her efforts fall flat. Best Before is more akin to reading a text book in class with a somewhat dorky teacher who occasionally tries to make a joke in order to keep the class awake.

It was also confusing as the reader to not fully understand where the author stood regarding food processing. It seemed that the author didn't know either. The author states she is simply providing information so that we can make more informed decisions. This is all well & good, but at times it seems she is either leaning towards processing & yet at other times against it. This created an odd vibe with the book. As the reader it was hard to stand with or against the author. When reading a book of this nature, normally if it is something I feel passionately about & it seems the author & I are in agreement, I feel like I have gained a new ally. Naturally if the topic is something I feel negatively about & the author feels positively, I feel the author is against what I feel is just & right, so most certainly not an ally. So while reading this I may nod my head, but then back up & shake muttering something like, "Wait, what?" It interrupts the flow.

One such example is nano-particles. The author tries to provide an unbiased opinion, discussing what she feels are the pros & cons of nano technology in food & then clearly states that this is something she is excited about; the potential benefits in food if it is used properly. My problem with this is many. One being how it is already proven that nano particles are wrecking havoc in the environment. She even states that scientists don't yet know what happens in our gut, our amazing microbiome when nano particles are introduced into our bodies. Sometimes it's best not to tinker too much with nature. Seeing how lax labeling laws are, the last thing I want to find out is that I'm unknowingly consuming lab created nano sized whatevers in my food.

She also merrily skips over irradiation & seems fine with it as well because it helps keep the consumer safe from potentially deadly pathogens. Good practices make irradiation unnecessary. Irradiation means manufactures can cut corners & speed up production because they don't have to worry about contamination. Feces in the meat? No worries, irradiation is here! The food manufacturing industry's over-use of irradiation is nearly in line with the over use of antibiotics in livestock production. Why let animals live outdoors in a more costly & slower environment when antibiotics can do double duty, increasing the size of the animal faster while allowing you to cram them into filthy inhumane conditions that they would never survive without antibiotics?

What about plastics? She discusses how our foods can have a plastic film on them, without our knowledge. This film gets eaten by us. It's main purpose is to keep the food fresh. Sorry, but isn't eating plastic something we want to avoid?

As a eco farmer, I find it hard to understand how someone with a homesteading background of wholesome farm grown foods, is so at ease with what is going on in the food industry. To be fair she doesn't speak positively of all the various processing methods that manufactures use, but she isn't exactly coming across as against them either. I am not even sure where she stands regarding genetically modified foods.

Some of the stories in this book start out interesting, such as the history of the baby carrot, but even that gets bogged down with too many details for the average reader, once again creating a snooze fest. In other areas of the book, she makes timeline claims but then later says scientists don't agree, but she's picking said timeline because it helps the flow of the book. Folks, this is supposed to be non-fiction. There are many other books available that are much more engaging regarding the food industry such as Salt Sugar Fat, Real Food/Fake Food, & Nourishing Traditions to get you started.

This is not necessarily a bad book, the potential is there & it contains educational information (albeit sometimes questionable), but why get it here when you can get it from so many other much more enjoyable books?

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a veritable buffet of food facts! Fun and informative, at least for a guy who grew up surrounded by farms. I repeat, if you're not a food scientist, it is full of factoids that a nerd of really any sort might find interesting. I was with the author all the way except she lost me at the end when she started dealing with nanofood. Just took a bit of a deep dive for me. But it's nice because the whole thing seems like you are being talked TO about food... you're not on the other side of the reader-writer void. It feels like author Nicola Temple is there explaining it to you over dessert. Maybe I was just in a curious/good mood when I read this, but I enjoyed it.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the history of food processing, from prehistoric times to today, from burning meat over a fire to nanotechnology and modified atmosphere packaging.

The book is well organized and well written. When the author states her opinion, it is easy to discern from the facts in the book, which I appreciate. I appreciated her balanced approach between wanting to eat as naturally as possible (don't we all?) and on the other hand, the questions of food waste and feeding an exploding world population.

Highly recommended!

[Jennifer G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book about food processing. The author goes into a lot of history about food processing - sometimes WAY too much history. I barely made it through the cheese chapter, but found the bread chapter fascinating. I enjoyed the different points of view and learned quite a bit, but felt that the book really could have been condensed and some of the painful detail left out.

[Pi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bez jedzenia ANI RUSZ. Musimy jeść, by żyć - to oczywiste, każdy z nas je codziennie, zwyczajowo trzy posiłki. W dobie mód na żarcie, wymyślnych super diet... cóż, można się pogubić. Żywność jest przetwarzana na coraz to nowe sposoby, bardziej nowoczesne, efektowne, atrakcyjne - lecz czy my wiemy, co jemy?
Nicola Temple w swojej książce skupia się na przemyśle "jedzeniowym", zwłaszcza na technikach przetwarzania żywności. We wstępie wspomina swoje dzieciństwo, które zawsze było pełne dobrego, świeżego jedzenia, ponieważ mieszkała na farmie i warzywa, mięso, pieczywo zawsze było najlepszej jakości, ze znanego źródła, bez konserwantów. Bardzo podoba mi się to osobiste doświadczenie autorki i jej zdrowy rozsądek, bo ona naprawdę obala w tej publikacji wiele mitów.
Ludzie są skłonni uwierzyć w każdą głupotę, przykładów nie trzeba szukać daleko, bo chociażby dezorientacja w sprawie takiej jak nasza aktualna pandemia - jest ogromna. W internecie często powielane są niesprawdzone informacje i brane są za pewnik (z jakiego powodu? kto to wie...). Jeśli chodzi o jedzenie okazuje się, że sprawa ma się podobnie. Nośne hasła łatwo wpadają w nasz obszar "wiary w duchy". I mnie ta racjonalność w NAJLEPIEJ SPOŻYĆ PRZED... uderzyła przyjemnym, świeżym powiewem mądrości życiowej.
Autorka podaje garść naukowych, fachowych informacji, ale robi to bardzo inteligentnie i wplata w tekst mnóstwo przydatnych anegdot. Nigdy już nie zapomnę jednej z wersji "odkrycia" sera - fujjjjj, ale w sumie... życie. Wrażenie robi też ewolucja naszej żuchwy - a to wszystko przez dążenie do mniejszego wysiłku. Bardzo ciekawy jest rozdział o pieczywie, które uwielbiam i to uwielbienie dzielę z Nicolą Temple. Biolożka jest wszystkożerna (podobnie jak ja) i zachowała w swej pracy ZDROWY ROZSĄDEK, a to, mogę spokojnie napisać, że jest w książkach o jedzeniu rzadkością. Zazwyczaj takie publikacje pełne są jakichś ideologii, które daleko odchodzą od sedna problemu.
Uważam, że warto sięgnąć po tę książkę, ponieważ o jedzeniu warto wiedzieć więcej. Np., że krojąc pewne warzywa wytrąca się z nich sporą dawkę witaminy C. Takie i inne niezwykle ciekawe i pomocne informacje znajdziecie w NAJLEPIEJ SPOŻYĆ PRZED... Ja jestem bardzo zadowolona.
Zapamiętajmy także, że w dzisiejszych czasach ludzie są tacy INSTA, że na przygotowanie jedzenia poświęcają z biedą 20 min, a na telewizję i 5 godzin, to za mało. Myślę, że takim stylem daleko nie zajdziemy. Ograniczmy także cukier! Naprawdę nie mogę patrzeć na rodziców, którzy przekupują dzieci słodyczami i kupują i napoje słodzone w ilościach, od których mi robi się niedobrze. Cukrzyca to nie przelewki i jest to już choroba cywilizacyjna. Autorka poświęca cały rozdział białej słodyczy - cukier... ach ten cukier.
Na koniec wspomnę o świetnej okładce projektu Marty Jaszczuk, która wykorzystała reklamę Northwestern Yeast "Ladies' Home Jurnal" z 1923 roku. Wyszukałam oryginalną okładkę i w porównaniu z polski wydaniem, jest delikatnie mówiąc mało atrakcyjna. Brawo UJ!

jedzmy z głową
7/10
seria #nauka
Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
bo.wiem

[Marzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is positively addictive reading, even if a bit of it was awful news about food.

What is processed food? Basically, it's almost everything you eat unless you are growing it or slaughtering it yourself. The origins of processed food lie in trying to safely preserve or store food. Going back to ancient techniques like smoking, salting, drying, and ice houses, Temple takes us forward to Kraft cheese and cheese in a can, all the way to the present day, filled with little mini-carrots and ready/frozen dinners. The big question and the point of Nicola Temple's book is how food was processed and whether the producer is transparent about the processing. From produce to cheese to bread to protein, to the deleterious effects of sugar, which is added to so many things. Temple closes out the book with a discussion of nanotechnology (a topic near and dear to my heart) and some of the caveats, and the future of processed food. I was quite fascinated and repelled by the chapter on cheese. And delighted with the literate discussion of celiac disease in the bread chapter.

Temple's discussion of the convenience conundrum, which drives the production and consumption of processed food, is worth the price of admission. Our modern lifestyle has affected our perceptions and expectations of food. (I'm mindful of that report last year which said that many children thought chocolate milk came from brown cows and didn't know pickles were actually cucumbers.) The actual nutritional content of many of these convenient processed items is of concern. This book was written with a British slant but she also reports on information for Canadian and American readers. America's love affair with salt and sugar have taken firm hold in the UK. Other things to consider in "ready meals" include the caliber of the ingredients (bound to be the cheapest) and the fact that many micronutrients may be lost due to overcooking. Then there are the additives (things like carrageenan and gums) and preservatives (thinks like polyphosphates). Temple does provide a thoughtful discussion on the various forms of processing, including flash freezing, and why some frozen produce might be better than fresh bought produce artificially ripened with ethylene. (Less waste due to spoilage and froze at the peak of ripeness.)

This book is fascinating enough to make me go and read Temple's previous outing, Sorting the Beef from the Bull: The Science of Food and Fraud Forensics, which sounds like a scary read.


I received a Digital Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kayt O'Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all: that cover. Fabulous. Wish all covers were that attention-getting and intriguing.

Second, this was very interesting to read right after Michael Pollan's Cooked, a history of cooking that had some overlap with the subject of this book, particularly the section on cheese. I think this benefitted me, because it meant this tied into information that I'd just learned, and gave me more context in some situations.

But where Pollan's book combined a lot of first-person cooking experiences with its history, this one combined the author's life experience and opinions with history, but mostly recent (year 1900+) history.

The opinions weren't bad: I appreciated understanding where the author was coming from (her childhood on a homestead, her adult choices that swing between levels of processing based on convenience and perceived safety, ecological effect, or other factors) and that there was no pretense at being detached or completely objective.

The history bits are fascinating--I particularly enjoyed the history of baby carrots, and how their popularity affected the main types of carrots grown in the US--and I was interested to learn in the first chapter that the author, having previously written a book on food fraud, started writing this one assuming it would likewise be an expose on the food industry and didn't expect to end up with a book (and views) that are more nuanced.

"Food processing is any action, chemical or mechanical, that is done to food in order to change it or preserve it. This includes packaging fresh products, such as carrots, in order to ensure they reach the consumer in the intended state, namely orange and crunchy."

Interesting, right? When we hear "processed food" we're more likely to think of shiny cheese slices than whole carrots, yet both on the shelves of my local Publix have been "processed" to different degrees.

I was left wanting more--food processing is so wide and varied, it's impossible for a single book, particularly a readable popular science book, to cover all variants and their histories, but I'm glad for the things that made it in.

[Brent Newhall]

A helpful look at the history of processed foods, diving into the chemistry in an attempt to provide a balanced perspective.

Overall, I found the book enlightening. After an overview of the many ways that humans process food, the author focuses on a few foods and subjects within that topic in each chapter, such as bread and cheese on the one hand, and nanotechnology on the other.

The author's thesis is that humans have processed food for tens of thousands of years, and indeed some processing of food directly improves our ability to digest it (such as cooking meat). However, some forms of processing can feel like they've "gone too far," creating foods that taste good but provide little to no actual nutrition.

There are times when I felt like I was flying at 30,000 feet over some topics, and other times when I felt overwhelmed by the intricate details of the chemical processes explained about food. Without sound too critical, I would have preferred a more balanced approach, summarizing the complex chemical reactions while also providing a few more particulars about how, say, one specific company processes their food.

I also found it a bit jarring that the author interjects her own opinions on each topic, explaining that she's comfortable with some things but uncomfortable with others. She does such an admirable job of concluding that decisions about processed food are sufficiently complicated that different people will set their thresholds differently; her occasional detours into her personal thresholds feel a little incongruous. However, this is itself likely a matter of personal preference; some might find another person's opinions on the matter useful.

But I'm nitpicking. Best Before provides a helpful, balanced history of food processing that should provide food for thought for TV dinner enthusiast and farmer's market denizen alike.

[Stephanie Griffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best Before is an interesting book that attempts to debunk some of the hysteria around processed food. As a new-ish mom, I've become extremely interested in food - where it comes from, how it's made, preserved, packaged, etc. Not too long ago, the cheese industry was under fire in the media for using "wood pulp" in their shredded and grated cheese products. In Best Before, the author unpacks that and explains that "wood pulp" is basically celery. I found sections like this to be enlightening since I've been inclined to avoid those types of processed cheeses - turns out it's not as alarming as it sounds. And as far as processed food is concerned, there are major gradations here because even frying an egg is considered "processing." The book is full of fascinating facts that made me re-think how I look at various foods. Other times, sections go on a little too long - like the section on cheesemaking and the differences between how it's made in the U.S. vs. the UK (it's important to note that this the author is British, so there are several colloquialisms/references that I had to decipher). Despite that, this book has a broad appeal for anyone with an interest in food, and would probably be useful even to those who don't think twice about it.


Full disclosure: I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review of this book.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food suffers from an identity crisis, as the author includes too much personal information for it to be a scientific or scholarly publication. The book could use a fair amount of editing as well, as it lacks the formality to allow readers to take it seriously as a scientific treatise. The information is presented in a manner that is both dry and uninteresting, despite the fact that the various methods of processing food can be both alarming and eye opening.

I am a big fan of history, but the author spent so much time reciting facts that the information she was trying to impart got lost. Instead of opening my eyes to the cost cutting measures, the additives that have no business being in food, and the overall indifference that some in the industry have to the health and safety of their customers, my eyes drifted shut on many occasions while reading Best Before. For these reasons, I would not recommend this book to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Best Before: The Evolution and Future of Processed Food via NetGalley and the publisher, Bloomsbury Sigma. The choice to review this book was my own.

[Bipin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read! The book did what it set out to do, change the reader's (my) mind about the negative image of processed food. This is written in an easily digestible and very accessible language, with some humor and figures here and there to keep things interesting. I initially thought I could go through this book and be done in a week, but am glad I took my time. I went in with the idea that processed food is bad. By showcasing the broad spectrum of processed food, the author points out that anything that isn't plucked from a tree and consumed immediately will probably be processed once or multiple times, including cut fruit. I have never thought of it that way. All the things this book mentions about processed food can be used to make better purchasing decisions. The author also provides some historical context for many processed foods, especially in the chapter about the convenience conundrum. And the chapter on bread was also very interesting.
A must-read for all those interested in knowing more about the food we buy from supermarkets.

[Peter Geyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola Temple is a Canadian resident in Britain and here she takes the reader through the origins of processed food and how it's changed or developed over time, for better or worse. The book is an investigation rather than a denunciation, which was a surprise, but then I hadn't thought of what "processing" meant.

In this sense the book is explanatory, sometimes with a lot of detail and including consistent attempts at a personal drollery which for some reason don't appear to work, for me, anyway. Perhaps this is because the text, although well-written, appears a little lifeless and so the authour may not be doing herself justice.

I found this book extremely informative, although some necessary detail overwhelmed at times. For me it's more a reference text with an historical basis and some advice that's very relevant, notwithstanding it concentrates of areas elsewhere from where I live.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for a copy to read and review!

Interesting read! Everyone seems to be on the food band wagon lately, one day something is good for you only for you to find out later it's bad. This book gives you a deep look at some of the processes where food is concerned. It seems like these days food doesn't spoil and can last forever. Remember the teacher that took a picture of the McDonalds hamburger for a year and it barely changed. So obviously our food is being processed to death. I loved how she debunks some of media's falsehoods like the Parmesan cheese and wood. This book gives a unique look and history towards those processes. I gave it three stars because while it is interesting, the book circles and it was hard to really see where some of the ideas were going. Just throw a bunch of history and facts out there....you make your own judgement.

[Justin M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure how, but this book was simultaneously boring but also kind of an engaging read. The author is noticeably for homegrown, organic, without preservatives food. But also recognizes that in our modern society we have to rely on preservation to feed our population. It wasn’t as starkly against modern food processing as I thought it would be, and that was an interesting balanced take on the subject.

That being said, it was very niche at points and I felt like I learned a ton about milk, bread, carrot, and fruit preservation, but wasn’t sure how to take that info and apply it to other foods. The author also tacked on sugar, ready made meals, and nanotechnology at the end. It felt a little cobbled together and more reminiscent of a podcast season than a book.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much detail -- only missing footnote citations and notes which I suspect would consume a third (or more) of each page.

Follow-ups from topics or explanations which caught my interest: Farmageddon; Salt, Sugar, Fat; and to learn about cooking method efficiencies, especially microwaves, from Schmidt, Espinoza, and Azapagic (2014) Life cycle environmental impacts of convenience food: Comparison of ready and home-made meals

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best Before is an intriguing book on how food has been processed, preserved and stored, covering methods both legal and illegal, disgusting and sterile, ancient and futuristic.

This book is not anti-processing, it merely covers different types that have been used, and the ways to improve food preservation without adverse health benefits in the future.

Temple's writing is clear and approachable, and full of humor. I liked how references were documented. Also, I learned much more than I ever needed to know about cultured meat and eating insects.

*eARC Netgalley*

[Roy Farchmin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read - especially for anyone with advanced degrees in chemistry, biology, botany, anatomy and physiology. For example, in describing flavors, we learn "...the right mixture of 2-heptanone, 2-noanone, 2-heptano, 2-pheno, butyric acid, 1-acten-3-ol ... and methyl cinnamate can produce a Camembert flavor." For the rest of us, this was a tedious endeavor. The bottom line is that humans have been processing food for thousand of years and some processing is good and some not so much.

[gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I read this book for my term paper in the history of food in America. The fact that I read it for school is probably the only reason it's not five stars.
It is informative without being boring. Nicole Temple is a great author.
This book obviously isn't for everyone, but I would recommend it if the person liked reading and learning about food. If you trust your food, maybe you shouldn't read this (or maybe you should?).

[Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected a screed against processed food, but this book was much more rational about the reality of food. While we can try to eat as healthily as possible, convenience and availability of processed foods (which almost all food is that is not homegrown) make that difficult. Apart from preservation and ease of making benefits, there could be other benefits in the future. This book is informational and humorous.

[Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars...This was an interesting look at processed food, and I did enjoy it...I mean, it's a microhistory, so...but she did get a little preachy there in places, which I didn't care for. That was minimal though, and I learned a lot of really cool food history.

[Joe Johansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally very informative and balanced, especially over some topics on which many authors are opinionated and divided. The dairy section inspired me to go out and buy six different cheeses - which can only be a win. Useful reading for anyone who has eaten food over the last 10,000 years.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the pros and cons of food processing, but as others have mentioned, the writing style is a little pained, combining both excessive historic detail with a sense of forced familiarity and humour.

[Sharon]

It was not as interesting as I thought it would be.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, maybe 3

[Ryan Waters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Some good bits but mostly regurgitating the same stuff every other chapter.

[Gaby F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Before by Nicola Temple looks critically at the history, the present, and the future of food processing. In today's world we are all far removed from growing our own fruit and vegetables or keeping animals for meat. Nicola Temple explains how we achieve to keep food fresh and nutritious from harvest to table by modern food processing. A lot of food processing is beneficial for society, but sometimes we remove food too far from their original in order to cut processing time, cut product cost, and prolong shelf life. A good example in this book is the history of cheese which culminates in the invention of processed cheese slices. I learned a lot by reading this book, especially about modern packaging practices and the use of Nanotechnology. Not all food processing is evil, but I am certainly not interested in eating lab-created frankenfoods as long as I can choose other, minimally processed food instead. Nicola Temple opened my eyes to the benefits of modern food processing while reminding me to carefully weigh the pros and cons when it comes to consuming processed foods.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review. I thought this book was fascinating. It's always a joy to learn about something most people have misinformed opinions on and learn the reasoning behind the truth. Very cool book.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating information bogged down by personal opinion

The discussions of how food is processed - its history and science - are fascinating, and on its own, would have merited five stars. In addition, author Nicola Temple demonstrates a great sense of humor. Where I found the book weak was in Temple’s sometimes sanctimonious description of her cooking and eating habits. She will state that she doesn't like a certain processes but won’t give any information to back that up, for example on irradiation and food preservatives. It disrupted the flow of the book and about two-thirds of the way through, I started skipping over her opinions and just read the more factual parts of the book. Overall though, it is a good book and I enjoyed reading it.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.