From Publishers Weekly
Food writer Anderson (The Food of Portugal) and University of Pittsburgh nutritionist Deskins team up to produce an alphabetical encyclopedia that tells, with professionalism and panache, a little bit about a lot of things, including food-related disorders, cooking techniques, diets, brand names and food-labeling terminology. The briefest entries (e.g., Calorie, Ileitis, Xanthan Gum) offer clear, jargon-free definitions. Others may also contain a bit of folklore or colorful history, perhaps a cooking tip, sometimes a warning. Major topics such as Bacteria, Fast Food, Fat, Heart Health and Sugars get the most complete coverage and contain cross references to other entries. Scattered throughout are dozens of low-fat, low-cholesterol, fairly simple recipes (all with nutritional analyses) such as that for Almost Fat-Free Chocolate-Beet Bundt Cake, included with the Beets entry. This comprehensive work has something to offer both the serious researcher and the casual browser.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
It can be dangerous to call your book a bible; the term implies a comprehensiveness and authority that may best be conferred by others. Compiled by Anderson, who holds a B.S. in food and nutrition and is the author of numerous cookbooks, and Deskins, an associate professor of clinical dietetics and nutrition (Univ. of Pittsburgh), this reference has much to recommend it, although it has shortcomings as well. First the good news: there are entries here-bee pollen, bovine somatropin, free-range poultry, and many others-not found in similar encyclopedias. Some entries, such as the one for "Bacon," are also more complete than in other references. A nice feature is the inclusion of numerous reduced fat and sugar recipes for standard menu items, such as meatloaf and milk shakes, and for less standard ones as well. Nutrient contents are given for all foods and recipes. Next the bad news: there are some glaring omissions (no entries for cooking spray or melatonin, for example), a bias in some of the entries, and missing cross references. For example, the entry for "Free-Range Poultry and Other Animals" has no cross references from the entries for poultry or other farm-raised food animals. While the definition of "free-range" is adequate, the text implies that superior flavor is the only reason for purchasing free-range meat, when concern for the humane treatment of food animals is a primary consideration for many consumers. No mention is made of free-range eggs, and the entry ends with a sneer at "health food stores and boutique butchers." Ultimately, this book is not a "bible" that can stand alone. It is a useful complement to Audrey H. Ensminger's Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia (CRC Pr., 1994. 2d ed.), which contains much longer essays under some entries but which also contains some bias.
Carol Cubberley, Univ. of Southern Mississippi, HattiesburgCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
