Biochemical changes in food constituents

The first pioneers of food science were 18th-century chemists such as Lavoisier, Chevreuil and Liebig, who pioneered studies into the chemical composition of food.

From the early 19th century onwards, however, processing and distribution were centralized; the scientists of the time were united by the altruistic desire to preserve harvests as well as possible in order to feed a growing population. This approach required the detection of alterations during storage, processing and stabilization, and above all, the determination of their cause. With the emergence of new sciences such as enzymology (Payen) or bacteriology (Pasteur) and new preservation techniques (Appert), food quality and its various components (hygienic, nutritional, organoleptic) became the constant preoccupation of agri-food partners (researchers, producers, consumers, public health officials, etc.).

In order to optimize these processes, agricultural raw materials, whether plant or animal, are subjected to a growing number of processing operations; currently, over 80% of our foodstuffs have undergone at least one initial transformation. Mastery of these operations, which guarantees consistent quality, requires a good understanding of the biochemical mechanisms responsible for alterations to food constituents during storage or culinary and industrial processing.