ABSTRACT
The history of food consumption in Europe, such as that provided by Montanari, shows that even though the scarcity of meat kept consumption low until the end of the Second World War. Especially for the lower classes, the food culture hierarchy established in earlier centuries arrived almost untouched into the present century, with meat as the most valued food. Food consumption in Europe has changed rapidly over the last 50 years. During the 1950s and 1960s, in tandem with rapid economic growth, there was an exponential increase in consumption, which made marked impressions on human nutrition. Convenience foods are a growing segment of the food market. They meet a relatively new social demand for simplification of meal preparation. In the 1990s, health and safety concerns have become pivotal in purchasing food products. This understanding of health has become especially relevant in the food sector, and has gained enormous potency so far as consumer choice is concerned.
