With the increase in working population across the globe, food products that are prepared and served quickly at outlets are gaining immense importance. These items are very often meant for immediate consumption at the point of purchase and serves short term hunger satisfaction needs. Research data shows that for the past few decades, there has been an increasing investment in buying of such food items which offer a regular substitute in most of the higher and middle income households, worldwide. Since these food items are prepared quickly, it has been termed as fast foods. Considering the fast food processing industry, the rate of growth in consumer expenditure on fast food is one of the highest. During the period between 1982-1998, consumers expenditure at fast food outlets grew at an annual rate of 6.8% as compared to the recorded figures of 4.7% in table service restaurant segment globally. A host of factors have been attributed towards such growth, which includes an increase in the disposable incomes especially in the emerging economies. This is an after effect of an increasing number of women employment in almost all the sectors, in the said economies. Cooking has gradually ceased to be a productive chore and ready made food preparations have become the consumers choice. But a major question posed for such food markets point towards the nutritional efficiency of the respective food items, in terms of content and composition. Very often such food items have been related to health hazards, such as obesity and overweight especially in case of women and children. This obviously has a direct impact on the global society. This book is a sincere attempt to capture such issues related to the fast food industry.
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