Food Facts

McDonald’s fast food chains employ over 1.5 million people around the world. Different parts of the world have their own local cuisine. The diets and general food habits of various cultures depend on social, religious, economic and safety factors as well as the availability of different foods. Examples of food and cuisine that are popular or famous in certain areas of the world include hummus in the Middle East, apple pie in the USA, raw fish in Japan, cheese in France,roast meat and vegetables in England, curry in India and tortillas in Mexico. There are around 2000 different plant types that humans use to cultivate food. Examples of popular vegetables include lettuce, carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and onions. The sweet potato is a root vegetable and is not closely related to the potato. Cutting onions releases a gas which causes a stinging sensation when it comes into contact with your eyes. Your body produces tears to dilute the irritant and remove it from your eyes. Pumpkins are usually labelled as vegetables but they contain seeds and are technically fruit. China is the largest producer of garlic, producing over 10 million tons in 2008 and accounting for over 75% of world output. Examples of popular fruits include apples,oranges, pears,strawberries,peaches, bananas, apricots and grapes. Technically speaking, strawberries aren't even berries! The average apple contains around 130 calories. India is the world’s largest producer of bananas, producing nearly 22 million tons in 2007. Humans use many different methods for gathering food which include farming, hunting, gardening, foraging and fishing. Humans eat meat from a number of different animals, common examples include meat from chickens, cows, sheep and pigs. Other food products that come from animals include milk, eggs and honey. Although humans are omnivores (eating both plants and animals), many people choose not to eat meat and fish, they are known as vegetarians. Those who don’t eat or use any products made from animals (including eggs, dairy products and honey) are known as vegans. Food for human consumption is typically made from plants and animals but we also eat other products such as fermented foods and fungus (mushrooms, truffles etc). Cooking is an important part of food preparation that involves applying heat. In most cases this transforms the chemical make up of food, altering its texture, flavor, nutritional properties and appearance. Types of equipment used in the cooking process include ovens, microwaves, toasters, grills, pots and frying pans. Various cooking methods include boiling, simmering, steaming, sautéing, pan frying and deep-frying. Around 70 million people suffer from food poisoning every year with around 7 million of these cases being fatal. Careful food storage, temperature control and preparation is necessary to avoid potentially dangerous bacteria, toxins and viruses. Around 8% of children and 2% of adults have some kind of food allergy, this occurs when the body’s immune system incorrectly assumes a certain food protein is harmful and attacks it. Common examples of food allergies include reactions to peanuts, gluten and shellfish.