Plant Extracts: Applications in the Food Industry


Book Description

Plant Extracts in Food Applications is the first book of its kind focusing on the application of plant extracts in the food industry. Topics cover sources, extraction and encapsulation techniques, the chemistry and stability of plant extracts, antimicrobials, preservatives, nutrient enhancers, enzymes, flavoring and coloring agents, packaging aid, health benefits, opportunities and the challenges surrounding the use of plant extracts in food applications. Written by several experts in the field, this book is a valuable resource for students, scientists, and professionals in food science, food chemistry and nutrition. Concerns and potential risks regarding the use of synthetic chemicals have renewed the interests of consumers using natural and safe alternatives. Plant extracts represent an interesting ingredient, mainly due to their natural origin and phytochemical properties, allowing for obtaining active materials to extend shelf-life and add value to the product. Presents chapters that deal with different sources of plant extracts and their applications in the food industry Covers the various extraction procedures which are used for plant extracts Includes the health benefits and stability of plant extracts Provides the role of plant extracts for shelf life enhancement, packaging aid, and as flavoring and coloring agents




Progress in Food Preservation


Book Description

This volume presents a wide range of new approaches aimed at improving the safety and quality of food products and agricultural commodities. Each chapter provides in-depth information on new and emerging food preservation techniques including those relating to decontamination, drying and dehydration, packaging innovations and the use of botanicals as natural preservatives for fresh animal and plant products. The 28 chapters, contributed by an international team of experienced researchers, are presented in five sections, covering: Novel decontamination techniques Novel preservation techniques Active and atmospheric packaging Food packaging Mathematical modelling of food preservation processes Natural preservatives This title will be of great interest to food scientists and engineers based in food manufacturing and in research establishments. It will also be useful to advanced students of food science and technology.




Plant Extracts: Applications in the Food Industry


Book Description

Plant Extracts in Food Applications is the first book of its kind focusing on the application of plant extracts in the food industry. Topics cover sources, extraction and encapsulation techniques, the chemistry and stability of plant extracts, antimicrobials, preservatives, nutrient enhancers, enzymes, flavoring and coloring agents, packaging aid, health benefits, opportunities and the challenges surrounding the use of plant extracts in food applications. Written by several experts in the field, this book is a valuable resource for students, scientists, and professionals in food science, food chemistry and nutrition. Concerns and potential risks regarding the use of synthetic chemicals have renewed the interests of consumers using natural and safe alternatives. Plant extracts represent an interesting ingredient, mainly due to their natural origin and phytochemical properties, allowing for obtaining active materials to extend shelf-life and add value to the product. - Presents chapters that deal with different sources of plant extracts and their applications in the food industry - Covers the various extraction procedures which are used for plant extracts - Includes the health benefits and stability of plant extracts - Provides the role of plant extracts for shelf life enhancement, packaging aid, and as flavoring and coloring agents




The Benefits of Plant Extracts for Human Health


Book Description

Nature has always been, and still is, a source of food and ingredients that are beneficial to human health. Nowadays, plant extracts are increasingly becoming important additives in the food industry due to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities that delay the development of off-flavors and improve the shelf life and color stability of food products. Due to their natural origin, they are excellent candidates to replace synthetic compounds, which are generally considered to have toxicological and carcinogenic effects. The efficient extraction of these compounds from their natural sources and the determination of their activity in commercialized products have been great challenges for researchers and food chain contributors to develop products with positive effects on human health. The objective of this Special Issue is to highlight the existing evidence regarding the various potential benefits of the consumption of plant extracts and plant-extract-based products, with emphasis on in vivo works and epidemiological studies, the application of plant extracts to improving shelf life, the nutritional and health-related properties of foods, and the extraction techniques that can be used to obtain bioactive compounds from plant extracts.




Green Food Processing Techniques


Book Description

Green Food Processing Techniques: Preservation, Transformation and Extraction advances the ethics and practical objectives of "Green Food Processing" by offering a critical mass of research on a series of methodological and technological tools in innovative food processing techniques, along with their role in promoting the sustainable food industry. These techniques (such as microwave, ultrasound, pulse electric field, instant controlled pressure drop, supercritical fluid processing, extrusion...) lie on the frontier of food processing, food chemistry, and food microbiology, and are thus presented with tools to make preservation, transformation and extraction greener. The Food Industry constantly needs to reshape and innovate itself in order to achieve the social, financial and environmental demands of the 21st century. Green Food Processing can respond to these challenges by enhancing shelf life and the nutritional quality of food products, while at the same time reducing energy use and unit operations for processing, eliminating wastes and byproducts, reducing water use in harvesting, washing and processing, and using naturally derived ingredients. - Introduces the strategic concept of Green Food Processing to meet the challenges of the future of the food industry - Presents innovative techniques for green food processing that can be used in academia, and in industry in R&D and processing - Brings a multidisciplinary approach, with significant contributions from eminent scientists who are actively working on Green Food Processing techniques




Aromatic Herbs in Food


Book Description

Aromatic Herbs in Food: Bioactive Compounds, Processing, and Applications thoroughly explores three critical dimensions: properties of bioactive compounds, recovery and applications. The book covers the most trending topics in herbs' applications, putting emphasis on the health components of spices and herbs, their culinary use, their application for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders, quality and safety requirements for usage in foods, processing, extraction technologies, green extraction technologies, encapsulation of recovered bioactives, applications and interactions with food components, applications as food supplements for weight loss, usage in active food packaging, the applications of rosemary and sage extracts, and much more. This book is ideal for food scientists, technologists, engineers and chemists working in the whole food science field. In addition, nutrition researchers working on food applications and food processing will find the content very valuable. - Covers all the important aspects of herbs, such as properties, processing, recovery issues and their applications - Brings the health components of spices and herbs, their culinary use and applications for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders - Explores herbs' processing, extraction technologies, green extraction technologies, encapsulation of recovered bioactives, applications, and interactions with food components




Antioxidants in Foods and Its Applications


Book Description

Free radicals are atoms or molecules containing unpaired electrons. Damage occurs when the free radical encounters another molecule and seeks to find another electron to pair its unpaired electron. Free radicals can cause mutation in different biological compounds such as protein, nucleic acids, and lipids, and the damage caused by the free radicals lead to various diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, aging, etc.). Antioxidants are helpful in reducing and preventing damage from free radical reactions because of their ability to donate electrons, which neutralize the radical without forming another. Ascorbic acid, for example, can lose an electron to a free radical and remain stable itself by passing its unstable electron around the antioxidant molecule. Unfortunately, new data indicate that the synthetic antioxidants used in the industry could have carcinogenic effects on human cells, thus fueling an intense search for new, natural, and efficient antioxidants. Therefore, the current book discusses the role and source of antioxidant compounds in nutrition and diets. Also, the current book includes nine chapters contributed by experts around the world, and the chapters are categorized into two sections: "Antioxidant Compounds and Biological Activities" and "Natural Antioxidants and Applications."




Medicinal Plants and Foods


Book Description

Medicinal plants or medicinal herbs have been identified and used since ancient times to improve the sensory characteristics of food. The main compounds found in plants correspond to four major biochemical classes: Polyphenols, terpenes, glycosides and alkaloids. Plants synthesize these compounds for a variety of purposes, including protection of the plant against fungi and bacteria, defense against insects and attraction of pollinators and dispersal agents to favor the dispersion of seeds and pollens.




Natural Product Extraction


Book Description

Natural products are sought after by the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, and research continues into their potential for new applications. Extraction of natural products in an economic and environmentally-friendly way is of high importance to all industries involved. This book presents a holistic and in-depth view of the techniques available for extracting natural products, with modern and more environmentally-benign methods, such as ultrasound and supercritical fluids discussed alongside conventional methods. Examples and case studies are presented, along with the decision-making process needed to determine the most appropriate method. Where appropriate, scale-up and process integration is discussed. Relevant to researchers in academia and industry, and students aiming for either career path, Natural Product Extraction presents a handy digest of the current trends and latest developments in the field with concepts of Green Chemistry in mind.




Ingredients Extraction by Physicochemical Methods in Food


Book Description

Ingredients Extraction by Physico-chemical Methods, Volume Four, the latest release in the Handbook of Food Bioengineering series, reveals the most investigated extraction methods of ingredients and their impact on the food industry. This resource describes types of ingredients that may be extracted through physico-chemical methods (i.e. specific plants, fruits, spices, etc.), along with their particularities to help readers understand their biological effect and solve research problems. The extraction methods of bioactive compounds and functional ingredients are discussed, along with information on green ingredient extraction strategies to help reduce harmful environmental and health effects. Extraction methods in this book can be applied for multiple purposes within the food industry, such as ingredients separation for food development, the purification and separation of toxic compounds from a food mixture, and the recovery of natural bioactive compounds.