For the past thirteen years, symposia have been held either in South America or in Mexico on subjects of special interest to Latin American scientists. When the opportunity of holding the 14th International Biological Symposium in Guate mala was offered, it was most welcome, especially as the occasion was the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP). With the encouragement of members of the Ford Foundation staff and the National Academy of Sciences, the idea for a symposium on the broad approach to the problem of nutrition was developed by Dr. Moises Behar, the second director of INCAP, 1961-1974, Dr. Nevin Scrimshaw, fIrst director of INCAP, 1949-1961, and members of the INCAP staff. Because the availability of food has become a serious international problem, a discussion of the underlying problems was most timely. INCAP, one of the pioneer and leading institutions in the area of nutrition, has a profound influence on nutrition in Latin America. The meeting was attended by about 300 scientists from more than 20 countries. Because this was the fIrst symposium in this series to be held in Central America, it provided an opportunity to get acquainted with scientists from many of the Central American republics. It was especially rewarding that so many students from the Central American universities attended this meeting.

New Protein Foods, Volume 1: Technology Part A deals with protein methodologies in transforming protein sources into better or more useful sources. This volume is organized into 10 chapters that summarize possible sources of protein foods, such as legumes, meat, poultry products, and meat analogs. The introductory chapter presents an overview of the definition of food problem of the societies, the concept of affluent malnutrition, and the role of protein foods. This book then discusses the extent of controversy surrounding the issue of the amino acid fortification of cereals. It emphasizes rice, as it is a major staple in regions where fortification with amino acids should be of great benefit in eliminating malnutrition and improving the health and performance of the populations. This is followed by a discussion on protein fortification of various forms of breads and other products. Chapters 5-8 are devoted into the role of food proteins in human nutrition and the available technologies for their treatment. Emerging protein foods unique to Japan, including products of enzyme applications, are also discussed and their prospects are assessed. The concluding chapter presents underlying philosophies and problems as food and drug laws and regulations move to further definition of food products. It also presents the concern about food nutritive values in changing times. This book is an ideal source of information for food technologists and researchers who are interested with the evolving field of food proteins.

The origins and history of pulse crops; The botany of pulses; Pulses in human nutrition; Physiology of growth, development and reproduction; Mineral nutrition and productivity; Cultural practices and crop handling; Pests and pest control; Diseases and disease control; The breeding and improvement of pulses; The economic importance of pulse crops; Bibliography; Index.