The role of food consumption in the human needs satisfaction: the evolution of representations

The relevance of the problems is caused both by shifts in food and cooking spaces,and ever-changing dynamics of production volume and food sales in the world. Foodconsumption has long gone beyond the purely economic sphere and has gained a lot ofcultural meanings in the spiritual life of society. An attempt was made to reconcile theworld food consumption peculiarities with levels («steps”) of the Maslow’s hierarchyof needs. The first level of human needs according to Maslow (physiological or vitalneeds) is consistent with the provision necessary for the sustenance nutritional valueof consumed food. While the human need for recognition, respect and self-esteem(the fourth level of the Maslow’s theory) is growing, more expensive and exclusivedishes and ways of their consumption, emphasizing the exceptional characture of aman, are included into a diet. The specific feature of food consumption, relevant tothe Maslow’s fifth level, are not revealed.