For centuries we have known that fruit is important for health, but we are only just beginning to fully understand why. Bioactives in Fruit: Health Benefits and Functional Foods aims to summarise some of our current knowledge on the bioactive compounds that are associated with the health benefits of specific fruits with a strong emphasis on the validation of health benefits by human intervention trials. Reflecting the current interest in food and health, the book includes strategies to retain and enhance the bioactives in fruit through breeding, growing conditions, fruit storage, processing into ingredients and production of functional foods. To accomplish this task authors with expertise in biology, chemistry, pharmacology, food science, nutrition, medicine, and horticulture have contributed. They come from universities, government and industry funded research institutes and biotechnology and food companies in Europe, the United States, Asia and New Zealand to give the book a broad perspective. This book, describing fruit bioactives, their health benefits when consumed as a food and related topics regarding their development into fresh or processed functional foods, will be of use to postgraduate students, researchers, functional food product developers, food regulators and anyone who has curiosity about why fruit is good for you. The information contained within will provide plant breeders with new targets for the development of value-added horticultural products, and will also provide nutritionists and dieticians with a useful resource for developing strategies to assist in preventing or slowing disease onset or severity. Bioactives in Fruit: Health Benefits and Functional Foods is a major resource which will be required reading for anyone working in the fields of health and functional foods.

This Reference Work provides a comprehensive overview of bioactive compounds found in underutilized fruits and nuts around the world and it elucidates their pharmacological, biological and health effects. In this book, readers will learn about the potential applications of bioactive molecules presented in several underutilized fruits and nuts rich in carbohydrates, lipids, fats, proteins, polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamins, organic acids, and volatile compounds. Readers will also discover more about the nutraceutical importance of these underutilized crops, and will also find specific case studies of the therapeutic potential of undertilized fruits and nuts. Written by highly renowned scientists of the field, this reference work appeals to a wide readership, from students and researchers to healthcare and industry professionals interested in plant biotechnology, biology, pharmacology and food engineering.

Bioactive Foods in Promoting Health: Probiotics and Prebiotics brings together experts working on the different aspects of supplementation, foods, and bacterial preparations, in health promotion and disease prevention, to provide current scientific information, as well as providing a framework upon which to build clinical disease treatment studies. Since common dietary bacterial preparations are over-the-counter and readily available, this book will be useful to the growing nutrition, food science, and natural product community that will use it as a resource in identifying dietary behavioral modifications in pursuit of improved health as well as for treatment of specific disease, as it focuses on the growing body of knowledge of the role of various bacteria in reducing disease risk and disease. Probiotics are now a multi-billion-dollar, dietary supplement business which is built upon extremely little research data. In order to follow the 1994 ruling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the support of Congress is currently pushing this industry to base its claims and products on scientific research. Research as shown that dietary habits need to be altered for most people whether for continued or improved good health. The conclusions and recommendations from the various chapters in this book will provide a basis for those important factors of change by industry with new uses. Animal studies and early clinical ones will lead to new uses and studies. Particularly the cutting edge experimental and clinical studies from Europe will provide novel approaches to clinical uses through their innovative new studies. Heavy emphasis on clinical applications (benefits and/or lack thereof) as well as future biomedical therapeutic uses identified in animal model studies Focused on therapies and data supporting them for application in clinical medicine as complementary and alternative medicines Key insights into gut flora and the potential health benefits thereof Health scientists and nutritionists will use this information to map out key areas of research. Food scientists will use it in product development Information on pre-and probiotics as important sources of micro-and macronutrients Aids in the development of methods of bio-modification of dietary plant molecules for health promotion Coverage of a broad range of bacterial consituents Nutritionists will use the information to identify which of these constituents should be used as dietary supplements based on health status of an individual Science-based information on the health promoting characteristics of pre-and probiotics Provides defense of food selections for individual consumption based on health needs and current status Diverse international authoring team experienced in studying prebiotics and probiotics for medical practice Unusally broad range of experiences and newly completed clinical and animal studies provides extended access to latest information

Presenting up-to-date data in an easy-to-use format, this comprehensive overview of the chemistry of bioactive components of fruits and cereals addresses the role of these compounds in determining taste, flavor, and color, as well as recent claims of anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, and antioxidant capabilities. It provides detailed information on

Plants have been widely used to treat diseases, owing to the presence of bioactive compounds (phytochemicals) which play important roles in health promotion and disease prevention. In recent years, advances in chemical extraction techniques, lifestyle and dietary choices for human health have increased the interest in the consumption and study of fruits, vegetables, and foods enriched with bioactive compounds and nutraceuticals. Thousands of dietary phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, glucosinolates, terpenes and alkaloids, have been identified and categorized further according to a diverse array of biochemical properties. Many of these phytochemicals have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of several pathological conditions which include life threatening diseases such as heart disease and cancer, to name a few. Natural Bioactive Compounds from Fruits and Vegetables as Health Promoters is a 2 book set which presents a summary of different classes of phytochemicals commonly found in common edible food sources. Each chapter details the general chemical structures of compounds, naturally present in specific fruits, vegetables and grains, their biological importance and mechanisms of action. The book set is an essential handbook for anyone interested in the natural product chemistry of these common crops. Part 1 of this set covers details about different fruits (banana, citrus fruits, pears, etc.). Part 2 covers legumes, nuts, seeds and cereals.

Natural Bioactive Compounds: Technological Advancements deals with the latest breakthroughs in the field of screening, characterization and novel applications of natural bioactive compounds from diverse group of organisms ranging from bacteria, viruses, cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, bryophytes, higher plants, sponges, corals and fishes. Written by some of the most reputed scientists in the field, this book introduces the reader to strategies and methods in the search for bioactive natural products. It is an essential read for researchers and students interested in bioactive natural products, their biological and pharmacological properties, their possible use as chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agents, and other future potential applications. Explores natural sources of bioactive compounds, including cyanobacteria, bacteria, viruses, fungi and higher plants Discusses the potential applications of biological products, such as their use in medicine (antibiotics, cancer research, immunology), as food additives, supplements and technological substances Analyzes the contributions of emerging or developing technologies for the study of bioactive natural compounds (characterization and purification)