Functional Foods and Dietary Supplements (PDF)

Functional foods are foods which contain bioactive components,
either from plant or animal sources, which can have health benefits
for the consumer over and above their nutritional value. Foods
which have antioxidant or cancer-combating components are in high
demand from health conscious consumers: much has been made of the
health-giving qualities of fruits and vegetables in particular.
Conversely, foods which have been processed are suffering an image
crisis, with many consumers indiscriminately assuming that any kind
of processing robs food of its "natural goodness". To
date, there has been little examination of the actual effects
- whether positive or negative - of various types of
food processing upon functional foods.

This book highlights the effects of food processing on the
active ingredients of a wide range of functional food materials,
with a particular focus on foods of Asian origin. Asian foods,
particularly herbs, are becoming increasingly accepted and demanded
globally, with many Western consumers starting to recognize and
seek out their health-giving properties. This book focuses on the
extraction of ingredients which from materials which in the West
are seen as "alternative" - such as flour from soybeans
instead of wheat, or bran and starch from rice - but which
have long histories in Asian cultures. It also highlight the
incorporation of those bioactive compounds in foods and the
enhancement of their bioavailability.

Functional Foods and Dietary Supplements: Processing Effects
and Health Benefits will be required reading for those working
in companies, research institutions and universities that are
active in the areas of food processing and agri-food environment.
Food scientists and engineers will value the new data and research
findings contained in the book, while environmentalists, food
regulatory agencies and other food industry personnel involved in
functional food production or development will find it a very
useful source of information.