Effects of food processing on bioactive compounds / Sohan Sharma.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Relationship of dietary sodium and calcium -- Winemaking biochemistry and microbiology -- Principles of enzymology for the food sciences -- Enzymes and their applications in food -- Homocysteine levels -- Food contaminants -- Bacteriological identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing -- Phytochemical -- Enteritis and enterotoxaemia in humans -- Artificial insemination -- Research in bacteria, yeasts and molds.

"A bioactive compound is a compound that has an effect on a living organism, tissue or cell, usually demonstrated by basic research in vitro or in vivo in the laboratory. While dietary nutrients are essential to life, bioactive compounds have not been proved to be essential- as the body can function without them-or because their actions are obscured by nutrients fulfilling the function. Bioactive compounds lack sufficient evidence of effect or safety, and consequently they are usually unregulated and may be sold as dietary supplements. Bioactive compounds are commonly derived from plants, animal products, or can be synthetically produced. Examples of plant bioactive compounds are carotenoids, polyphenols, or phytosterols. Food processing can affect the accumulation and decomposition of bioactive compounds. Heat can reduce or destroy most of the Bioactive compounds, present in the raw plant produces. Legumes are important components of human diet and are subjected to various processing method that can affect composition and nutritional value. The mild heat treatments are recommended over heat-intensive ones for the processing of legumes; in order to avoid deactivation of enzymes and lose of nutrients, which can also achieve by using germination, microwaving, and fermentation. This book critically evaluates the effects of conventional, novel non-thermal, and thermal food processing techniques. Written for researchers, professors and graduate students, this book is a great reference for all who work in food chemistry, new product development and nutritional science"-- Back cover.