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The Basic Concepts of Food presents in-depth knowledge of food and nutrition. It includes the principles of food, sources of nutrients for the optimal health, guidelines for choosing foods, preliminary preparation, methods of cooking, prevention of foodborne illnesses, the relationship between food and health, cultural food practices, and culinary terms significantly used in the food industry. The essentials of food and nutrition are described in this monograph through classification of food and food groups; objectives and media of cooking; food safety; the role of foods, herbs, and spices in human health; dietary patterns of cultural groups; and technical terminologies practiced in food processing industries.

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Suriyaprabha Kannan is lecturer in the Division of Applied Science, University of Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She has 21 years of teaching and 14 years of administrative experience at the tertiary level. She publishes books, monographs, journal articles and conference papers. She reviews manuscripts for the international conferences and journals.

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