Functional Foods, Principles and Technology

For students and professionals in nutrition and food sciences and health fields, Guo (food and nutritional sciences, U. of Vermont) provides an introduction to foods that have health-promoting properties beyond their basic nutritional value, such as antioxidants, dietary fiber, prebiotics and probiotics, lipids, and soy. He explains the principles of functional foods, their history, industry and consumer roles, ingredient sources, classification, chemical and physical properties, health implications, and possible mechanisms of action. He also covers sports drinks, vitamins and minerals, human milk chemistry, and infant formula, as well as laboratory techniques to create functional foods. The book is based on his lecture notes for courses he teaches at the U. of Vermont. Annotation c2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)