BOOKS
A proven college text, Food: The Chemicals We Eat, explores the connection between foods familiar to beginning chemistry students and basic scientific concepts central to an understanding of introductory college chemistry. Suitable for use as a chemistry primer for college, high school, and dual language students, the text presents fundamental chemical principles with scientific rigor. The companion lab manual, Fundamentals of Food Chemistry Lab Manual, provides a series of laboratory experiments to accompany the text, systematically guiding students through engaging practice and deepening their theoretical understanding.
To cover food chemistry concepts, the authors divide the text into three major sections, specifically “The Foundation of Food Chemistry,” “Chemistry of Food Components Consumed by Humans,” and “Food Additives and Toxicology.” Each section contains all data and facts necessary to fully and clearly explain key topics, such as human senses, the relationship of chemistry to other disciplines, scientific method, analysis, the Periodic Table, chemical reactions, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, food toxicology and additives, as well as pesticides. This review of sample chapters gives evidence to the authors’ thorough presentation of key principles essential to the instruction of basic chemistry, food science, and nutritional chemistry.
The text’s inviting style and tone encourage entry-level college students. Throughout the book, multiple illustrations and charts support a reader’s understanding of the meaning and implications of food as the chemicals we consume. Kaur and Gump have written an outstanding text combining clarity of purpose with cogent, current, and timely chemical information.
Reviewed by Janie Driscoll, Teacher, New Haven Unified School District, Union City, Calif.
Books Received
Environmental Impact of Genetically Modified Crops. Natalie Ferry and Angharad M.R. Gatehouse, eds. Oxford University Press1. ISBN: 978-1-84593-409-5. Gluten-Free Food Science and Technology. Eimear Gallagher, ed. Wiley-Blackwell2. ISBN: 978-1-4051-5915-9.
Microbiologically Safe Foods. Norma Heredia, Irene Wesley, and Santos García, eds. Wiley-Blackwell2. ISBN: 978-0-470-05333-1.
Micro/Nanoencapsulation of Active Food Ingredients. Qingrong Huang, Peter Given, and Michael Qian, eds. Oxford University Press1. ISBN: 978-0-8412-6964-4.
Potatoes Postharvest. Bob Pringle, Chris Bishop, and Rob Clayton. Oxford University Press1. ISBN: 978-0-85199-502-1.
1Oxford University Press; www.oup.com. 2 Wiley-Blackwell; www.wiley.com.
Houghton Mifflin Co. 222 Berkeley St. Boston, MA 02116-3748 Visit www.hmco.com. ISBN: 978–0547–08389–6. 2008.