A hypothesis to explain this skewed view of food studies points to the same divide that separated the humanities from the sciences, and eventually those from the social sciences. Food studies have been, for the better part of the century, detached from the study of humans. The scientific study of food has been taken by biology, chemistry, and nutrition; while the cultural aspect of food has translated into the field of gastronomy. However, it is difficult to find online pieces that engage with the many sides of food, from a scientific explanation of craving of a specific flavor to the social issues of prohibition of certain foods.
Perhaps this may soon change, as more people read Katz and Pollan, and scientific findings continue to support the connections between the obesity epidemic and our changing food consumption. Now we just need someone to interpret all those academic findings and link them to our everyday lives. Easier said than done.
Food related articles in the New Criticals will be posted under different sections, and not a specific food section. This is our attempt to continuously push the issue of interdisciplinary of food studies and eliminate the division in the study of gastronomy. We hope for your input on topics and are genuinely open to consider any topic and its relationship to food.
Thumbnail image from here.