1. External Influences FN 41 1.01
Food processing includes additives that enhance shelf life, nutritional value and food quality.
Food preparation includes equipment such as microwaves, convection oven commercial equipment is now available to homeowners. FN

2. Media Print Radio Television Popular press Internet Newspaper
Magazines
Books
Internet
holmberg/food-and-social-media-a- c_b_ html
The media acquaints you with, reminds you of, and informs you about food products and nutrition issues. The quality of the information from the media ranges from excellent to totally worthless and harmful.

3. Economic Influences Price Food’s availability Demand
Although food is becoming more expensive in the United States, there is enough food. That is not the case in other countries. Seafood is now more widely included in American diets, a fact that has resulted in decreasing numbers of fish that are available close to shore. When the demand for a food increases, the cost generally rises.

4. Environmental Influences
Ecological factors
Climate issues
Land availability
Ecological factors include the type of soil, the amount of rainfall and other climatic conditions. The social factors include what is considered acceptable in the culture in which one lives.
Uncommon Ground, a certified green restaurant in Chicago, hosts an organic farm on its rooftop.

5. Technological Influences
Food processing
Extends harvest in a safe and stable form
Makes foods available year around
Convenient
Safe to consume
Not always healthy
Food preparation equipment
Microwaves, convection ovens, and other
is the link for “‘How truthful is that information”?
Handout sheet
The How Truthful is that information is an extra activity if computer access is available.