Exploring the multifaceted nature of food preferences, this volume unites insights from various disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, and neurology. An international team of experts examines the sociocultural, physiological, and neurological influences on human tastes, addressing the fragmented academic discourse surrounding these factors. By integrating diverse perspectives, the book offers a comprehensive understanding of how food preferences shape human existence.
Beer is an ancient alcoholic drink which, although produced through a more complex process than wine, was developed by a wide range of cultures to become internationally popular. This book is the first multidisciplinary, cross-cultural collection about beer. It explores the brewing processes used in antiquity and in traditional societies; the social and symbolic roles of beer-drinking; the beliefs and activities associated with it; the health-promoting effects as well as the health-damaging risks; and analyses the modern role of large multinational companies, which own many of the breweries, and the marketing techniques that they employ.--Publisher description.