Chemistry's Role in Food Production and Sustainability

Mary Virginia Ornais Professor of Chemistry at The College of New Rochelle. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Chemical Education, Color Research and Application, Studies in Conservation, Analytical Chemistry, Microchemical Journal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS) monographs, and more. She is a 1984 recipient of the Chemical Manufacturing Association's Catalyst Award for excellence in college chemistry teaching, the 1989 CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) New York State Professor of the Year and National Gold Medalist Award, the 1989 Merck Innovation Award, the 1996 Western Connecticut ACS Section's Visiting Scientist Award, and the 1996 James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry. She received the American Chemical Society's 1999 George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education, the 2008 Henry Hill Award, and the 2009 ACS Award for Volunteer Service. Gillian Eggleston is the head of, and a tenured professor at, the Audubon Sugar Institute, which is part of the Agricultural Center at Louisiana State University. She previously spent 24 years leading the sugar crop processing at the USDA's Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans. She has published four books, 135 peer reviewed journal papers and book chapters, 66 symposia and conference proceedings, 122 abstracts, and more. Her major scientific and commercial accomplishments are reflected in 32 national and international awards, including five Sugar Industry Technologists (International) Awards and the American Chemical Society (ACS) Melville L. Wolfrom Award. She is also an ACS Fellow. Alvin Bopp is Professor of Chemistry and Chairman of the Department of Natural Sciences at Southern University at New Orleans. Prior to this and after a tour of duty in the United States Army and a short post-doc, he worked in government and industry laboratories, focusing primarily on process and product development. His current academic interests include the interdisciplinary area of chemistry and cultural materials, focusing on materials conservation and preservation. He has also collaborated with the Cotton Chemistry & Utilization group at the United States Department of Agriculture Southern Regional Research Center characterizing treated cotton fabrics for use in a variety of medical applications. He has been active in the Louisiana Section most notably serving as two terms as Section Chair (2003 and 2008) and Councilor since 2010.

Part I. Setting the Context
Chapter 1. Introduction: Chemistry Feeds the World Mary Virginia Orna, Gillian Eggleston, and Alvin F. Bopp
Chapter 2. Historic Role of the United States Department of Agriculture in Food Production, Quality, and Security Victoria L. Finkenstadt

Part II. Sustainability in the Past
Chapter 3. Impact of Agriculture on Food Supply: A History Livia Simon Sarkadi
Chapter 4. The Critical Impact of NaCl on Human History and Development Marilyn D. Duerst
Chapter 5. History of Sugar and Sweeteners Gillian Eggleston
Chapter 6. Harvey Wiley and the Transformation of the American Diet Jonathan Rees
Chapter 7. Carotenoids, Cochineal, and Copper: Food Coloring Through the Ages Mary Virginia Orna
Chapter 8. Alcoholic Beverages as the Universal Medicine before Synthetics Patrick E. McGovern
Chapter 9. Effects of Fertilizer on Food Supply Livia Simon Sarkadi

Part III. Sustainability in the Present
Chapter 10. The Evolution of Flour: From New England Graham to New Orleans Swans Down Linda Civitello
Chapter 11. Guilt by Association: Can Chemists Lead the Way Out of the Nutritional Advice Wilderness? Elke Schoffers
Chapter 12. Role of Chemical Analysis in Food Safety and Food Authentication Eric C. de Ronde
Chapter 13. Relative Sea Level Rise: Consequences to Louisiana Fisheries Albert P. Gaudé
Chapter 14. Genetically Modified Organisms as a Food Source: History, Controversy, and Hope Patrick L. Daubenmire
Chapter 15. The Evolution of Food Preservation and Packaging Alvin F. Bopp

Part IV. Food and the Future
Chapter 16. Food Chemistry as a Vital Science: Past, Present, Future Lili He

Editors' Biographies
Author Index
Subject Index