Demonstrates the influence of biochemistry and biotechnological applications on functional food developments. This book analyzes the benefits of functional foods, the effect and development of active ingredients in functional foods, and consumer and regulatory issues that influence biotechnological advancements in the food industry.

Analyzes food and biological samples of phytosterols and discusses plant sterol analysis with respect to functional foods. Investigates the safety of phytosterols and phytosterol esters and associated health risks, including potential impact on cancer development and the lowering of cholesterol levels. Details the chemistry, occurrence, and biological effects of phytosterol oxides.

Reports of the beneficial health effects of some peptides have begun to make their way into the scientific literature. Peptides can act as immunomodulators, and have been shown to have a positive influence on calcium absorption, and on regulation of serum cholesterol. A number of peptides may also possess antimicrobial properties that enhance the body's defense mechanisms, and others may produce inhibitory effects for angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE), leading to novel treatments for blood pressure conditions, heart failure, and diabetes. Modern food biotechnology may also allow for the...

PrefaceFunctional Foods and Their Impact on Nutrition and Health: Opportunities in the Asia Pacific, M.L. Wahlqvist and N. WattanapenpaiboonAsian Herbal Products: The Basis for Development of High-Quality Dietary Supplements and New Medicines, K.-H. Lee, H. Itokawa, and M.

The ability to regulate and manipulate the generation or remodeling of blood vessels is key to the successful treatment of many chronic diseases, both oncological and non-oncological. Several bioactive compounds present in human diets are now known to exert an inhibitive effect on the either the signaling or construction of new blood vessels. The identification and characterization of these anti-angiogenic molecules opens a new avenue for the research and production of functional and medicinal foods with far reaching implications for the food-based treatment of chronic degenerative disease....

Two of the most popular nutraceutical products on the market, omega-3 oil and glucosamine, were originally derived from waste products. Discarded oil from the manufacture of fishmeal became wildly popular as omega-3, a polyunsaturated fat, and the fully hydrolyzed chitosan from shrimp and crab shell, glucosamine, found wide use in joint health. Hundreds of tons of marine by-products are available annually and previous commercial success, together with an overall consumer interest in novel healthy food ingredients, are driving both research and commercialization in the area of marine...

While certain saturated and trans fats continue to face scrutiny as health hazards, new evidence indicates that, in addition to supplying foods with flavor and texture, fats also provide us with dietary components that are absolutely critical to our well-being. The importance of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins and other minor components delivered by lipids is well known, as are the benefits and essentiality of long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. And now, with new research connecting lipids to heart health, mental health, and brain and retina development, the...

Handbook of Functional Beverages and Human Health provides potential applications and new developments in functional beverages, nutraceuticals, and health foods. In addition to serving as a reference manual, it summarizes the current state of knowledge in key research areas and contains novel ideas for future research and development. Additionally, it provides an easy-to-read text suitable for teaching senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in the relevant areas.

The book is divided into seven major sections: Section I covers market trends, global...