This book will provide a comprehensive overview on the green approach to the research and industrialization of plastic materials. An effort will be made to offer to the reader a critical perspective concerning both oil-based plastics and novel bio-based and waste-derived polymer formulations. A special focus on bio-innovation in the area of organic materials will also be delivered.

This volume is designed to impart the fundamental concepts in experimental pharmacology, research methodology and biostatistics. Through this book, the readers will learn about different methods involved in drug discovery, experimental animals and their care, equipments and the various bioassays used in experimental pharmacology. This book contains special sections on various drug screening methods involved in the evaluation of different body systems. Certain sections provide the healthcare professionals with the knowledge necessary to interpret clinical research articles, design clinical studies, and learn essential concepts in biostatistics in an expedient and concise manner. Basic principles and applications of simple analytical methods employed in drug analysis are well written under one section. It focuses on the basic and advanced laboratory techniques and also on computer simulated data, written extensively under the Biostatistics section. The methods used for drug analysis have been described in adequate detail with cross-references for further studies and comprehension. Overall, the book is designed systematically with four broad sections with extensive subdivisions for easy tracking, interpretation, and understanding.

Mycotoxins are the metabolites of fungus and are reported to contaminate nearly 25% of the food produced worldwide. The mycotoxins of most significance are the aflatoxins due to their severe health implications and their prevalence in food commodities on a larger scale. Aflatoxins are produced by certain species of fungi the most prominent among which are Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nominous. Food commodities of African and South Asian countries are especially reported to have aflatoxins well beyond the allowable limits but due to the global trade of food commodities developed countries are also prone towards the perils of aflatoxins. Moreover, climate changes may have a substantial impact on the distribution and global prevalence of aflatoxins in the near future. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified the aflatoxins as group 1 category carcinogen. Aflatoxins are also reported as teratogenic, mutagenic, growth retardant, immunosuppressant and may also cause nervous system and reproductive system disorders. Preventive approaches involving good manufacturing from "farm to fork" are the major focus of the current food industry. The aim of our book is to provide readers with the most recent data and up-to-date studies from aflatoxins research, with specific focuses on (i) the impact of aflatoxins on human health, (ii) new approaches by the researchers from different parts of the world to degrade aflatoxins and (iii) potential preventive approaches that can significantly lessen the burden of aflatoxins in food products

The Advanced Dairy Chemistry series was first published in four volumes in the 1980s (under the title Developments in Dairy Chemistry) and revised in three volumes in the 1990s and 2000s. The series is the leading reference on dairy chemistry, providing in-depth coverage of milk proteins, lipids, lactose, water and minor constituents. Advanced Dairy Chemistry Volume 2: Lipids, Fourth Edition, is unique in the literature on milk lipids, a broad field that encompasses a diverse range of topics, including synthesis of fatty acids and acylglycerols, compounds associated with the milk fat fraction, analytical aspects, behavior of lipids during processing and their effect on product characteristics, product defects arising from lipolysis and oxidation of lipids, as well as nutritional significance of milk lipids. In the years since the publication of the third edition there have been significant developments in milk lipids and these are reflected in changes to this volume. Most topics included in the third edition are retained in the current edition, which has been updated; in some cases, new authors have given their perspective on certain topics. Chapters on nutritional significance of dairy lipids have been considerably revised.This authoritative work summarizes current knowledge on milk lipids and suggests areas for further work. It will be very valuable to dairy scientists, chemists and others working in dairy research or in the dairy industry.

Plant foods are an essential part of our daily diet and constitute one of the highest contributors to the world economy. These foods are rich in phenolic compounds, which play a significant role in maintaining our health. This textbook presents a comprehensive overview of the chemistry, biochemistry and analysis of phenolic compounds present in a variety of foods. The text can be used as a singular source of knowledge for plant food science and technology, covering all of the important chemical, biochemical and analytical aspects needed for a thorough understanding of phenolic antioxidants in foods. Phenolic Antioxidants In Foods: Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Analysis is comprised of three sections. The first section covers the basic concepts of antioxidants, their chemistry and their chemical composition in foods, providing a detailed introduction to the concept. The second section covers the biochemical aspects of phenolic antioxidants, including their biosynthetic pathways, biological effects and the molecular mechanism of antioxidant effects in the biological system. This section promotes an understanding of the fundamental biochemical reactions that take place in foods and after digestion and absorption. The third section covers the analytical chemistry used in the analysis of phenolic antioxidants in foods, including the basic analytical procedures, methods for analysis and chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses. This section is significant for aspiring food chemists and manufacturers to evaluate the nature and chemistry of phenolic antioxidants in foods. Featuring helpful quizzes, section summaries, and key chapter points, this textbook is the perfect learning tool for advanced chemistry undergraduates and post-graduates looking to gain a fundamental understanding of phenolic antioxidants in food products.

Nanotechnology has been established in membrane technology for decades. In this book, comprehensive coverage is given to nanotechnology applications in synthetic membrane processes, which are used in different fields such as water treatment, separation of gases, the food industry, military use, drug delivery, air filtration, and green chemistry. Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles, and dendrimers are contributing to the development of more efficient and cost-effective water filtration processes. Gas separation and carbon capture can be significantly improved in flue gas applications. Nanoporous membrane systems engineered to mimic natural filtration systems are being actively developed for use in smart implantable drug delivery systems, bio artificial organs, and other novel nano-enabled medical devices. The microscopic structure of nanoporous ceramic membranes, mainly focusing on zeolite materials, as well as the energy-saving effect of membrane separation, contribute to various chemical synthesis processes. In the food industry, nanotechnology has the potential to create new tools for pathogen detection and packaging. For each application, nanotechnology is mostly used to make composite membranes, and the book provides a detailed look at the mechanisms by which the composite membrane works in each application area.

Applications of microbial nanotechnology are currently emerging with new areas being explored. Biosynthesis of nanomaterials by microorganisms is a recently attracting interest as a new, exciting approach towards the development of 'greener' nanomanufacturing compared to traditional chemical and physical approaches. This book will cover recent advances of microbial nanotechnology in agriculture, industry, and health sectors.

This book gathers the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of innovative biosystems engineering for sustainable agriculture, forestry and food production. Focusing on the challenges of implementing sustainability in various contexts in the fields of biosystems engineering, it shows how the research has addressed the sustainable use of renewable and non-renewable resources. It also presents possible solutions to help achieve sustainable production. The Mid-Term Conference of the Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering (AIIA) is part of a series of conferences, seminars and meetings that the AIIA organizes, together with other public and private stakeholders, to promote the creation and dissemination of new knowledge in the sector. The contributions included in the book were selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process, and offer an extensive and multidisciplinary overview of interesting solutions in the field of innovative biosystems engineering for sustainable agriculture.

Composite materials are formed when the combination of separate materials acquire new properties distinct from its components. They have a range of applications in fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering, food science and biomedicine and represent a fast-growing area of research. Composite Materials: Applications in Engineering, Biomedicine and Food Science provides an overview of current technologies and applications related to composite materials in these fields. Organized by discipline, the text encompasses a wide variety of composite materials, including polymer, ceramic, biomaterial, hydroxyapatite, nanofiber and green composites. Early chapters detail the enhanced mechanical, magnetic, dielectric properties of electrical and thermal conductive composite materials, which are essential in daily science. Subsequent chapters focus on filler or reinforcement materials, including carbon materials, hybrid materials and nanomaterials. Particular emphasis is placed on nanocomposite materials, as these have increasingly diverse field applications. Various manufacturing methods, such as the synthesis method and top-down/bottom-up manufacturing, are also discussed. Coverage of the recent progress, challenges and opportunities surrounding composite materials make this text a one-stop reference for engineers, scientists and researchers working in this exciting field.

The enzymology of milk and other products is of enormous significance for the production and quality of almost every dairy product. Milk itself is a complex biological fluid that contains a wide range of enzymes with diverse activities, some of which have identifiable functions while others are present as an accidental consequence of the mechanism of milk secretion. Over time milk enzymology has become an incredibly essential component of milk and other dairy product production, and with advancing technology and processing techniques, its importance is at its peak. Dairy Enzymology presents an expansive overview of the enzymology of milk and other dairy products, focusing on the use of indigenous and endogenous enzymes in milk and exogenous enzymes in cheese processing. A full section is dedicated to the enzymology of bovine milk, focusing on the main families of indigenous enzymes as well as their potential significance in the mammary gland plus the technological significance for the properties of dairy products. Implications for the manufacture and ripening of cheese plus the use of enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase for measuring heat treatment in milk are explored in full, and the role of milk protease plasmin and other indigenous enzymes in the age-gelation is focused on. Further sections focus on enzymes found in raw milk and enzymes deliberately added for manufacture or modification of properties and the manufacture of food ingredients from dairy-derived ingredients. The key bacterial families are discussed in depth as well as their known contributions to the quality of dairy products. With its comprehensive scope and fully up-to-date coverage of dairy product enzymology, this text is a singular source for researchers looking to understand this essential dairy processing aspect.

This book presents both established and emerging technologies which show the immense possibilities of using non-traditional fillers and stiffening agents in the plastics industry. After an introduction to basic polymer chemistry, a range of non-petroleum-based fillers and stiffening agents for polymer products are identified and their optimal applications given.

This book provides a significant overview of carbon-related membranes. It will cover the development of carbon related membranes and membrane modules from its onset to the latest research on carbon mixed matrix membranes. After reviewing progress in the field, the authors indicate future research directions and prospective development. The authors also attempt to provide a guideline for the readers who would like to establish their own laboratories for carbon membrane research. For this purpose, detailed information on preparation, characterization and testing of various types of carbon membrane is provided. Design and construction of carbon membrane modules are also described in detail.

The book focuses on the development of high performance, high efficiency electroactive polymers (EAPs), and electromechanically active polymers by controlling molecular chemical structure and morphology for all applications. This book is ideal for academicians and researchers in polymer and materials science.

Most bioactive compounds have antioxidant activity, particularly tocochromanols, phenolics (flavonoids and phenolic acids), methylxantines and capsaicinoids. Some of these compounds have also other properties important for human health. For example, vitamin E protects against oxidative stress, but it is also known for its "non-antioxidant" functions, including cell signalling and antiproliferation. Selenium compounds and indoleamins are the components of the antioxidant enzymes. Selenium makes vitamin E acquisition easier and controls its physiological functions. In taking part in enzymatic reactions and protecting the cell against free radicals, selenium shows immunomodulative, antiphlogistic, and antiviral activity. Capsaicinoids possess not only antioxidant, but also antibacterial, analgesic, weight-reducing and thermoregulation properties. Studies have also demonstrated their gastroprotective and anticancer properties. Analytical Methods in the Determination of Bioactive Compounds and Elements in Food explores both the influence of particular compounds on human health and the methods used for their determination. Chapters describe various aspects of food and plant analysis, including chromatographic and non-chromatographic approaches as well as hyphenated techniques. Readers of this book will gain a comprehensive understanding of the important groups of bioactive compounds relevant to human health.

This book provides an up-to-date overview on the membrane technology for the drinking water treatment. The applications of PVDF-TiO2 nanowire hybrid ultrafiltration membrane, nanofiltration membrane, forward osmosis membrane, etc. in water treatment are discussed in detail. With abundant practical examples, the book is an essential reference for scientists, students and engineers in municipal engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, environmental chemistry and material science.