Chemical Changes During Processing and Storage of Foods

Book excerpt: Chemical Changes During Processing and Storage of Foods: Implications for Food Quality and Human Health presents a comprehensive and updated discussion of the major chemical changes occurring in foods during processing and storage, the mechanisms and influencing factors involved, and their effects on food quality, shelf-life, food safety, and health. Food components undergo chemical reactions and interactions that produce both positive and negative consequences. This book brings together classical and recent knowledge to deliver a deeper understanding of this topic so that desirable alterations can be enhanced and undesirable changes avoided or reduced. Chemical Changes During Processing and Storage of Foods provides researchers in the fields of food science, nutrition, public health, medical sciences, food security, biochemistry, pharmacy, chemistry, chemical engineering, and agronomy with a strong knowledge to support their endeavors to improve the food we consume. It will also benefit undergraduate and graduate students working on a variety of disciplines in food chemistry - Offers a comprehensive overview of the major chemical changes that occur in foods at the molecular level and discusses the positive and negative effects on food quality and human health - Describes the mechanisms of these chemical changes and the factors that impede or accelerate their occurrence - Helps to solve daily industry problems such as loss of color and nutritional quality, alteration of texture, flavor deterioration or development of off-flavor, loss of nutrients and bioactive compounds or lowering of their bioefficacy, and possible formation of toxic compounds