From the golden days to modern high-tech polar expeditions, food -- or the lack of it -- plays a critical role. This is the book for anyone who has ever wondered about hoosh, pemmican and all the rest. The author, a biochemist, looks at the nutrition and diet of explorers, linking developments in food preservation techniques to the history of polar exploration. He includes a survey of the fateful journeys of Franklin, Greely, deLong, Robert Cook, Frederick Peary, Mawson, Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott. With menus, ample quotes from early journals, and extensive notes.  (ANT107, $27.95)