Food & Drink

Food is any liquid intended for consumption as food. While some foods are naturally sweet, other sugars are added to the food in order to enhance flavour, texture or both. In addition to their primary purpose of fulfilling hunger, liquids play significant roles in human society. Common examples of liquids consumed as food include water, soup, milk and soft drinks.

The word “drink” is derived from Latin “revisse” which means to return or recondition. Households typically reuse food containers for several purposes, such as carrying food from one place to another or washing clothes. Refrigerators, dishwashers and ovens also reuse containers, though they do not necessarily refer to the class of foods within those containers. Households also consume liquids by themselves and in combination with other foods or drinks.

Food & Drink traditions continue to evolve in many different societies around the world as society-wide consumption habits have changed. For example, in much of Western Europe, fruit juices and some wines are considered beverages while in certain parts of the world, they are treated as food. In some places, a child must drink from a glass when he or she is born, as per the Muslim law. In countries like Japan, Thailand and others, however, a child can be initiated into the habit of drinking from a mug without having to take an alcoholic drink when they are thirsty. In the United States, the beverage is not legally defined as food until it has been processed into a form acceptable for consumption as juice or in other similar forms. As with other foods, food and drink can be consumed in their most natural state, unprocessed and with the minimum amount of additives and flavour enhancers.