1.21 Food and Energy

Whether it is production, processing, consumption, transportation, or waste handling, food and energy are inherently linked. This chapter examines this linkage in a variety of manners from photosynthesis, to digestion, to livestock and crop production, and biofuels. Energy transfer and thermodynamics are discussed throughout with emphasis being placed on the human experience and its interrelation with food and energy. Additionally, this chapter aims to provide comprehensive overviews of energy pathways within the plant development system, digestive system, as well as assess the ways in which energy is implemented into production and processing systems.