BOOK REVIEWS

FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PROTEINS AND LIPIDS. John R. Whitaker, Fereidoon Shahidi, Agustin Lopez Munguia, Rickey Y. Yada, and Glenn Fuller, eds. Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016. ISBN: 0-8412-3584-8. 1998. 282 pp. $110

Functionality of food ingredients (physical, chemical, and as nutraceuticals) is currently of high interest. This book, published within the ACS symposia series, deals with cutting-edge research in this field conducted by leading scientists in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the United States, and their associates around the world. Its 17 chapters are arranged into four sections: (I) Fundamental Properties and Instrumental Methods; (II) Plant Protein Functionalities; (III) Animal Proteins Functionalities; and (IV) Fat and Oil Functionality; Physical Functionality.

Section I includes the suggestion, based on developed correlations, that values of proteins (decrease in the free energy of the interface per mg of protein adsorbed), related to the molecular flexibility of globular proteins, can be used as a predictor of their functional properties such as emulsification, foaming, and digestibility. One reports on the greater accuracy of viscosity measurements of two-phase fluids by means of a helical ribbon impeller fitted into a rheometer.

Section II reviews chemical and enzymatic modifications of the fundamental properties of soy proteins, with improvement of flax protein functionality and color by acetylation and succinylation, and with production of high-protein gluten-free flour from grain amaranth. Regrettably, no attention was paid in this research to the flavor aspects of these proteins.

Section III includes progress reports on several areas of basic research on animal proteins, such as developing predictability of enzyme functionality using pepsin as a model; gelation and film formation of whey proteins; and functionality of genetic variants of ß-lactoglobulins. Research on emulsifying properties of egg yolk led to the conclusion that cholesterol is involved in stabilizing the LDL emulsion.

Section IV contains an overview of low-calorie fats and sugar esters as fat substitutes, probably the most practice-oriented chapter in this volume. Of special interest to food scientists may be the chapter discussing the molecular phenomena determining the viscosity and melting/crystallization temperature of triacylglycerides in vegetable oils, which is of significance to the melting and spreadability of butter and margarine. Of more basic interest is a chapter reporting the discovery that sweet pepper extract contains substances that could modulate the permeability of the intestinal epithelium.

This book will be of primary value to people conducting basic studies on functionality of proteins and lipids; it is not an introductory text. It is well edited and indexed, and the text and illustrations are easy to understand. Abstracts preceding each chapter and conclusions ending most chapters increase the book’s value; some chapters also contain a section with suggestions for future research.

Alina Surmacka Szczesniak, IFT Fellow, retired Principal Scientist, General Foods Corp., Mt. Vernon, N.Y.

FOOD IN GLOBAL HISTORY. Raymond Grew, ed. Westview Press, 5500 Central Ave., Boulder, CO 80301 (call 800- 386-5656 or 303-444-3541; fax 303-449-3356). ISBN: 0-8133-3624-4. 1999. 293 pp. $69.

As an instructor of general college courses in food science and technology, I’m continually searching for interesting historical and human interest items related to foods to jazz up sometimes dry and unstimulating class material. In agreeing to review this book, I anticipated a reference resource with a history textbook–type of approach; i.e., a broad, chronological, stepwise progression from the origins of agriculture to the contemporary state of the art today, supplemented with specific examples and descriptions involving world history and food. I was wrong.

This is a combination of monographs covering a diverse range of topics evaluating the place of food in world culture, past and present, submitted by 15 scholars in the social sciences. The subject materials seemed very specific and diverse. For example, two of the chapters were entitled “On ‘Cabbages and Kings’: the Politics of Jewish Identity in Post-Colonial French Society and Cuisine,” and “Food Policy Research in a Global Contest: The West African Sahel.” For the most part, the style of writing was laborious to the point of being difficult to follow, as if I were reading a series of Ph.D. dissertations in anthropology and sociology.

This is not a reference text in a technical sense—the entire book contained a total of five tables and five figures. Several of the chapters involved human health and nutrition, but I recommend that nutritionists check the Table of Contents first to see if the chapters contain material they are interested in. Although I enjoyed the chapters “The ‘Mad Cow’ Crisis: A Global Perspective,” and “Food and the Counterculture: A Story of Bread and Politics,” I believe that this book will have limited use for people in food science.

Dallas G. Hoover, Professor, Dept. of Animal & Food Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark

BOOKS RECEIVED
A Guide to Applied Nutrition, 1st ed. Sunit Mukherjee and S.C. Lodh. Order from Prof. Sunit Mukherjee, Flat 5C, 107, Southern Ave., Calcutta 700 729, India (call +91-33-466-3024). 1999. 107 pp. Softcover. Rs.95.00; US$5.

ASIC - 18th International Scientific Colloquium on Coffee (Helsinki, August 2–6, 1999). Association Scientifique Internationale du Café, 18, rue de la Pépinière, 75008 Paris, France. 2000. 559 pp. Softcover. No price given.

Breakfast Cereals and How They Are Made, 2nd ed. Robert B. Fast and Elwood F. Caldwell, eds. Amer. Assn. of Cereal Chemists, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097 (800-328-7560 or 651-454-6250; fax 651-454-0766; www.scisoc.org/aacc). ISBN: 1-891127-15-2. 2000. 562 pp. $139.

Current Views of Fatty Acid Oxidation and Ketogenesis: From Organelles to Point Mutations. Patti A. Quant and Simon Eaton, eds. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Order Dept., P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands, or Order Dept., P.O. Box 358, Accord Station, Hingham, MA 02018-0358. ISBN: 0-306-46200-1. 1999. 414 pp. $135; £93.25; NLG315.

The Directory of the Canning, Freezing, Preserving Industries, 2000–01. Edward E. Judge & Sons, Inc., P.O. Box 866, Westminster, MD 21158 (call 800-729-517 or 410-876-2052; fax 410-848-2034; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.eejudge.com). ISBN: 1-880821-20-6. 2000. 765 pp. softcover. $175 standard edition; $275 deluxe edition; electronic version available.

Fruit & Vegetable Quality: An Integrated View. Robert L. Shewfelt and Bernhard Brückner, eds. Technomic Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 3535, 851 New Holland Ave., Lancaster, PA 17604-9961 (call 800-233-9936 or 717-291-5609; fax 717-295-4538; Web site: www.techpub.com). ISBN: 1-56676-785-7. 2000. 330 pp. No price given.

Marine & Freshwater Products Handbook. Roy E. Martin, Emily Paine Carter, George J. Flick Jr., and Lynn M. Davis. Technomic Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 3535, 851 New Holland Ave., Lancaster, PA 17604 (call 800-233-9936 or 717-291-5609; fax 717-295-4538; Web site: www.techpub.com). ISBN: 1-56676-889-6.2000. 964 pp. No price given.

Pesticides: Managing Risks and Optimizing Benefits. (ACS Symposium Series 734). Nancy N. Ragsdale and James N. Seiber, eds. Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016-4314. ISBN: 0-8412-3616-X. 1999. 286 pp. $100.

Phytochemicals As Bioactive Agents. Wayne R. Bidlack, Stanley T. Omaye, Mark S. Meskin, and Debra K.W. Topham, eds. Technomic Publishing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 3535, 851 New Holland Ave., Lancaster, PA 17604-9961 (call 800-233-9936 or 717-291-5609; fax 717-295-4538; Web site: www.techpub.com). ISBN: 1-56676-788-1. 2000. 274 pp. $99.95.

Residue Analysis in Food: Principles and Applications. Michael O’Keeffe, ed. Harwood Academic Publishers, Rijswijkstraat 175, 1062 EV Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Web site: www.gbhap.com). ISBN: 90-5702-441-1. 2000. 307 pp. US$95; £59; EU79.

Seafood Enzymes: Utilization and Influence on Postharvest Seafood Quality. Norman F. Haard and Benjamin K. Simpson, eds. Marcel Dekker, 270 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016 (call 212-696-9000; fax 212-685-4540; Web site: www.dekker.com). ISBN: 0-8247-0326-X. 2000. 681 pp. No price given.

Temperate and Subtropical Fruit Production, 2nd ed. D.I. Jackson and N.E. Looney, eds. CABI Publishing. Order from Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016-4314. ISBN: 0-85199-271-4. 1999. 332 pp. $55.

Was It Something You Ate? Food Intolerance: What Causes It and How to Avoid It. John Emsley and Peter Fell. Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016-4314 (Web site: www.oup.com). ISBN: 0-19-850443-8. 2000. 184 pp. $25.

World Food Security and Sustainability: The Impacts of Biotechnology and Industrial Consolidation (NABC Report 11). Donald P. Weeks, Jane Baker Segelken, and Ralph W.F. Hardy, eds. National Agricultural Biotechnology Council, 419 Boyce Thompson Inst., Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY 14853 (E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.cals.cornell.edu/extension/nabc). 1999. 175 pp. softcover. $5.00.

BULLETINS RECEIVED
Food Safety: Current Status and Future Needs. Stephanie Doores. Report based on an American Academy of Microbiology colloquium held August 14–16, 1998, in Nashville, Tenn. Order from American Academy of Microbiology, 1752 N Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2804 (call 202-737-3600; fax 202-942-9380; E-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.asmusa.org/acasrc/academy/htm). Report is available in PDF format on Web site: www.asmusa.org/acasrc/pdfs/Foodsafetyreport.pdf. 1999. 29 pp.