Although awareness of the relationship between food and health has a long history, the science of nutrition developed out of discoveries in modern chemistry and medicine. The professionalization of nutrition science resulted in its directly influencing food production, preparation, and consumption. Increased influence also meant increased responsibility to the public and the food industry as well as to governmental and international agencies. Such issues as the safety of food and its just distribution led to both controversies and codes of ethics. Nutrition scientists have not always recognized and analyzed the relationship between their work and moral values, but with the growth of the world's population and the increase in knowledge of what constitutes a healthful diet, the ethical debates surrounding nutrition science are likely to multiply and deepen.

Historical Developments

As with their animal ancestors, members of Homo sapiens, in order to survive, learned...