In the U.S. alone, severe food-related allergic reactions account for an estimated 30,000 emergency room visits and 150 deaths per year - unsettling statistics for food product developers and manufacturers who are charged with ensuring food safety and quality throughout the entire farm-to-table production chain. Providing the clear-cut information

Over three editions, this book described the contents of food raw materials and products, the chemistry/biochemistry of food components, as well as the changes occurring during post-harvest storage and processing affecting the quality of foods. The fourth edition of Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Components discusses the role of chemical compounds in the structure of raw materials and the formation of different attributes of food quality, including nutritional value, safety, and sensory properties. This new edition contains four new chapters: “Non-Protein Nitrogenous Compounds”; “Prooxidants and Antioxidants in Food”; “Non-Nutritive Bioactive Compounds in Food of Plant Origin”; and “Analytical Methods Used for Assessing the Quality of Food Products.” These chapters have been included because new research results have brought increasing knowledge on the effect of non-protein nitrogenous compounds, especially bioactive peptides, nucleic acids, and biogenic amines on the biological properties of foods; the role of natural and added prooxidants and antioxidants in the processing and biological impact of foods; numerous beneficial and harmful effects of bioactive components of plant foods; and new systems for control of food composition and the safety of foods. Features: • Stresses the effect of the chemical/biochemical reactions on the selection of optimum parameters of food processing without presenting details of the technological processes • Describes naturally occurring elements and compounds as well as those generated during food handling in view of health hazards they may bring to consumers • Discusses the risks and benefits of reactions occurring during food handling The knowledge of the chemistry and biochemistry of the components and their interactions presented in this book aids food scientists in making the right decisions for controlling the rate of beneficial and undesirable reactions, selecting optimal storage and processing parameters, as well as the best use of food raw materials.

Based on years of academic and industrial research by an international panel of experts, Chemical, Biological, and Functional Properties of Food Lipids, Second Edition provides a concise, yet well-documented presentation of the current state of knowledge on lipids. Under the editorial guidance of globally recognized food scientists Zdzislaw E. Siko

Over the past 20 years, public concerns have grown in response to the apparent rising prevalence of food allergy and related atopic conditions, such as eczema. Although evidence on the true prevalence of food allergy is complicated by insufficient or inconsistent data and studies with variable methodologies, many health care experts who care for patients agree that a real increase in food allergy has occurred and that it is unlikely to be due simply to an increase in awareness and better tools for diagnosis. Many stakeholders are concerned about these increases, including the general public, policy makers, regulatory agencies, the food industry, scientists, clinicians, and especially families of children and young people suffering from food allergy. At the present time, however, despite a mounting body of data on the prevalence, health consequences, and associated costs of food allergy, this chronic disease has not garnered the level of societal attention that it warrants. Moreover, for patients and families at risk, recommendations and guidelines have not been clear about preventing exposure or the onset of reactions or for managing this disease. Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy examines critical issues related to food allergy, including the prevalence and severity of food allergy and its impact on affected individuals, families, and communities; and current understanding of food allergy as a disease, and in diagnostics, treatments, prevention, and public policy. This report seeks to: clarify the nature of the disease, its causes, and its current management; highlight gaps in knowledge; encourage the implementation of management tools at many levels and among many stakeholders; and delineate a roadmap to safety for those who have, or are at risk of developing, food allergy, as well as for others in society who are responsible for public health.

Food antioxidants are of primary importance for the preservation of food quality during processing and storage. However, the status of food depends on a balance of antioxidants and prooxidants occurring in food. Food Oxidants and Antioxidants: Chemical, Biological, and Functional Properties provides a single-volume reference on the effects of naturally occurring and process-generated prooxidants and antioxidants on various aspects of food quality. The book begins with a general introduction to oxidation in food and then characterizes the main oxidants present in food, including enzymatic oxidants. Chapters cover oxidation potential, mechanisms of oxidation of the main food components (proteins and lipids), addition of exogenous oxidants during food processing, and the effects of physical agents such as irradiation, freeze-thawing, and high hydrostatic pressure during processing. The book also discusses the effects of oxidation on sensory characteristics of food components and analyzes how oxidation and antioxidants affect the nutritive and health-promoting features of food components. The text examines natural antioxidants in food, including lesser-known ones such as amino acids and polysaccharides, antioxidants generated in food as a result of processing, mechanisms of antioxidant activity, and measurement of antioxidant activity of food components. It explores the bioavailability of curcuminoid and carotenoids antioxidants and presents case studies on natural food antioxidants, presenting novel extraction methods for preservation of antioxidant activity. The final chapters address functional antioxidant foods and beverages as well as general ideas on the effects of food on the redox homeostasis of the organism.

Presents information, based on scientific evidence, on the contents of harmful compounds in food raw materials and products, such as grains, fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, milk and dairy products, meats, and various processed foods Shows the effects of environmental pollution and the conditions of harvesting and storage of the raw materials on food contamination Discusses the real food safety hazards to the consumers caused by toxins of microbial origin and chemical contamination Describes the beneficial role of processing to decrease the contents of harmful components in food products Presents the role of legislation, quality assurance systems, and available analytical techniques in assuring food safety

Allergy is a main problem of public health in the world. Many people in all countries are suffering from this problem. Some diseases (i.e. allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, food allergy, urticaria, eczema, etc.) have allergic reaction pathophysiology, and with control of allergic mechanisms, these diseases can be controlled and cured. The current book entitled Allergen has focused on allergy, mechanism, diagnosis, treatment, and other related problems. Chapters of the book have good data on allergy-based medical sciences and would be a benefit for all researchers in immunology, allergy, and asthma fields. Current discussions would be useful for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of atopic patients. We hope these chapters could be a new approach in immunotherapy of allergic diseases and help in the progress of healthy system.

One of the biggest challenges faced by meat producers today is the requirement to improve the quality of meat while maintaining focus on efficiency and higher yields. Numerous studies have shown that consumers are willing to pay premiums for meat products with guaranteed eating quality. This book examines the complicated multistep process of produc

More than 50 million Americans, one out of five, suffer from hay fever, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Many of these conditions are caused by exposure to allergens in indoor environments such as the house, work, and schoolâ€"where we spend as much as 98 percent of our time. Developed by medical, public health, and engineering professionals working together, this unique volume summarizes what is known about indoor allergens, how they affect human health, the magnitude of their effect on various populations, and how they can be controlled. The book addresses controversies, recommends research directions, and suggests how to assist and educate allergy patients, as well as professionals. Indoor Allergens presents a wealth of information about common indoor allergens and their varying effects, from significant hay fever to life-threatening asthma. The volume discusses sources of allergens, from fungi and dust mites to allergenic chemicals, plants, and animals, and examines practical measures for their control. Indoor Allergens discusses how the human airway and immune system respond to inhaled allergens and assesses patient testing methods, covering the importance of the patient's medical history and outlining procedures and approaches to interpretation for skin tests, in vitro diagnostic tests, and tests of patients' pulmonary function. This comprehensive and practical volume will be important to allergists and other health care providers; public health professionals; specialists in building design, construction, and maintenance; faculty and students in public health; and interested allergy patients.

A large variety of food products all over the world are prepared by the fermentation of various raw materials. Fermentation: Effects on Food Properties explores the role of fermentation reactions in the chemical, functional, and sensory properties of food components as well as their effect on food component content and biological activity. Emphasizing the various chemical changes that take place during processing, both pre- and post-fermentation, the book explores: The complex microbial community in fermented foods The generation of the flavor and aroma compounds in fermented foods The effect of fermentation on the rheological properties and the color of foods The effect of fermentation on bioactivities of foods How microorganisms during fermentation can remove or detoxify antinutritional compounds in raw foods The fortification of products derived from fermentation processes and technical issues in the production and distribution of such foods Fermentation processes for cereals, legumes, vegetables, dairy products, seafood, and meat Food safety and adherence to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles Mastering today’s art of fermentation processes requires detailed knowledge of food raw materials, microbiology, enzymology, chemistry/biochemistry, physics, engineering, and technology. This volume is an important starting point in understanding the process. Presented in concise, accessible chapters contributed by food experts, the book contains ample references to enhance further, more detailed exploration of this critical topic as we search for ways to enhance food quality for better health.