The attention and direction of food science has been shifting in recent years from food safety and food flavour research to functional foods and nutraceuticals -- foods that convey healthy and disease-prevention benefits to consumers that go way beyond their basic nutritional role. The purpose of this book is to bring together the latest information from fundamental and applied research on the role of seeds and their products as functional foods and nutraceuticals, and to discuss the benefits of consuming them. In this book you will find relevant information regarding the origin and taxonomy of seeds, global markets, physicochemical composition, and the effect of phytochemicals in seed components on chronic degenerative diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and arthritis. Given the importance and challenges derived from environmental concern, with regard to the effective utilisation of the residues of industrial by-products and agroindustrial wastes, this book also discusses the inclusion of seeds and certain fruit by-products in foods, as well as the presence of phytochemicals with potential medicinal benefits.

Germination: Types, Process and Effects is a book that brings together the contribution of new and relevant information from many experts in the fields of food and biological sciences, nutrition, and food engineering, to provide the reader with the latest information of fundamental and applied research in the role of edible seeds and discuss the benefits of consuming them. In this book, you will find relevant information regarding origin and taxonomy of seeds, global markets, physicochemical composition and the effect of edible seeds germination on chronic degenerative diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and arthritis. This book will be of great interest to food scientist, biologists, nutritionists, and food engineers who are particularly interested in the process, changes and contribution of seed germination to food security.