The dictionary of food and nutrition has been compiled as a clear convenient and immediately accessible reference book. Every aspect of its conception and layout has been planned to help the reader to find the scientific information he needs with minimum difficulty. Most of the terms come from a wide range of disciplines- such as biology botany chemistry biochemistry microbiology and engineering. While compiling this dictionary emphasis has been placed on the composition of food items their chemical composition and uses; and the basic scientific principles of phenomena and processes. Entries include the descriptions of the plants and their useful parts such as roots leaves or fruits; essential oils and herbs; showing their botanical identities medicinal values where they grow how they are used their history and folklore and the examples of the foodstuffs in which they are constituents. Animal ingredients are similarly described together with the principal chemical and synthetic materials now employed. In this dictionary the energy content of the foods is mostly expressed in joules and the vitamins are expressed where appropriate in both micrograms and in International units.