Nutritional Evaluation of Food Processing

Dramatic changes in the attitudes toward human nutrition have taken place dur ing the past decade. Food-related and medical professionals as well as consumers are now, more than ever before, aware of and concerned about diet, nutrition, and the beneficial and deleterious effects of food processing upon nutrients. The old saying "We are what we eat" is still relevant. Nutritious food will contribute greatly to consumers' good health and ultimately reduce medical bills. Food processing is essential to maintaining our food reserves from one harvest to another, thus letting us serve our daily meals regularly. If food processing is defined as including all treatments of foodstuffs from harvest to consumption, then more than 95% of our food may be considered as processed. In most cases, food processing and storage cause some reduction in the nutritional value of foods. Advances in food science and food technology have resulted in an increase in nu trient retention after processing. In addition, today's consumer better understands how to avoid excessive nutrient losses during food preparation. The information presented in this completely revised reference and textbook will help the reader to understand better the relationship between food processing and nutrient retention. The authors' scholarly contributions are greatly appreciated.

1 Introduction. - 1 General Discussion on the Stability of Nutrients. - 2 The Major Food Groups, Their Nutrient Content, and Principles of Food Processing. - 2 Nutrients in Food-Raw and Processed. - 3 Effects of Agricultural Practices, Handling, Processing, and Storage on Vegetables. - 4 Effects of Agricultural Practices, Handling, Processing, and Storage on Fruits. - 5 Effects of Agricultural Practices, Handling, Processing, and Storage on Cereals. - 6 Effects of Agricultural Practices, Handling, Processing, and Storage on Legumes and Oilseeds. - 7 Effects of Agricultural Practices, Handling, Processing, and Storage on Meat. - 8 Effects of Agricultural Practices on Milk and Dairy Products. - 9 Effects of Agricultural Practices on Poultry and Eggs. - 10 Effects of Handling, Processing, and Storage on Fish and Shellfish. - 3 Effects of Commercial Processing and Storage on Nutrients. - 11 Effects of Freeze Preservation on Nutrients. - 12 Effects of Heat Processing on Nutrients. - 13 Effects of Baking on Nutrients. - 14 Effects of Extrusion Processing on Nutrients. - 15 Effects of Moisture Removal on Nutrients. - 16 Effects of Fermentation on the Nutritional Properties of Food. - 17 Effects of Treatment with Food Additives on Nutrients. - 18 Use of Ionizing Radiation to Preserve Food. - 19 Stability of Nutrients during Storage of Processed Foods. - 4 Effects of Preparation and Service of Food on Nutrients. - 20 Effects of Food Preparation Procedures in Nutrient Retention with Emphasis on Foodservice Practices. - 21 Effects of Home Food Preparation Practices on Nutrient Content of Foods. - 5 Nutrification, Legal Aspects, and Nutrient Analysis. - 22 Addition of Vitamins, Minerals, and Amino Acids to Foods. - 23 Protein Complementation of Foods. - 24 Improving the Nutritional Quality of Vegetables through Plant Breeding. - 25 The Role of the United States Government in Regulating the Nutritional Value of the Food Supply. - 26 The Contribution of Consumption of Processed Food to Nutrient Intake Statusin the united States. - 27 Methodology for Nutrient Analysis. - 28 Nutrient Data Banks for Nutrient Evaluation in Foods.