Unveiling the Surprising Similarities Hidden within Multiple Taste Profiles
In her book, "Bread, Wine and Chocolate - the Slow Loss of the Foods We Love", food journalist Simran Sethi highlights a significant concern: the shrinking global diet. The book delves into the declining diversity of staple foods such as bread grains, wine grapes, and cacao, which are gradually disappearing from agricultural and culinary landscapes worldwide.
Sethi's work underscores the slow but steady erosion of the foods we love and depend on. This erosion is driven by industrial agriculture's focus on a few high-yielding varieties, global market demands, and the loss of indigenous knowledge and farming practices. The result is a loss not only of unique flavors and cultural heritage but also of resilience against pests, diseases, and climate change.
While the book does not mention specific numbers of potato chip varieties, ice cream flavors, or cold cereal types in a supermarket, it is important to note that Sethi perceives a scary kind of sameness in the variety of food available. This sameness, she argues, limits the richness of diets globally and increases vulnerability to environmental and economic shocks.
Interestingly, three-quarters of the world's food now comes from 12 plants, and three-quarters of the world's food also comes from 5 animal species. These statistics underscore the narrowing base of our global food system.
It is worth noting that Sethi's book does not mention any other food journalist or individual's perception of the food variety in a supermarket, nor does it specify the number of plant species or animal species from which the food comes in a particular supermarket chain.
Despite the lack of specific data, Sethi's work serves as a call to action, emphasizing the importance of preserving food diversity for the sake of sustainability, biodiversity, and the richness of our global diet. The book is a reminder that the foods we love and depend on are at risk, and it is up to us to ensure their survival.
The book serves as a call to preserve the richness of our global diet, highlighting the gap between the 12 plants and 5 animal species that provide three-quarters of the world's food and the diverse flavors lost due to industrial agriculture and global market demands. Preserving food diversity is crucial for sustainability, biodiversity, and health-and-wellness, as well as for the maintenance of unique lifestyle practices that revolve around food and drink.
