Nutritional properties 48 nutrients

Proteins and Meals. Nutritional properties of the oilseed protein meals and their derived products are deterrnined by the amino acid compositions, content of biologically active proteins, and various nonprotein constituents found in the defatted meals. Phytic acid (3), present as salts in all four meals, is beheved to interfere with dietary absorption of minerals such as 2inc, calcium, and iron (67) (see Food toxicants, naturally occurring Mineral nutrients). ... 

Any representation and any advertising message which states, suggests or implies that a food stuff has particular nutritional properties due to the energy (calorific value) it provides, provides at a reduced or increased rate or does not provide and/or due to the nutrients it contains, contains in reduced or increased proportions or does not contain. 

Seaweed is a rich source of nutrients included in Asians traditional cuisine and is being extensively explored for its other merits as a food. Apart from its proven nutritional properties, bioactive molecules found in seaweeds have attracted the interest of health conscious societies, as seaweed is regarded as a remarkable marine medicinal food. 

Nutrition claims are claims that state, suggest, or imply that a food has particular beneficial nutritional properties due to the energy it provides or the nutrients it contains [61]. Annex Table 80.4 compiles these claims. 

Derived plant and animal products make better use or upgrade the nutritional quaHty of already existing materials or products. Synthetic and manufactured products arose from knowledge of the functional properties of food ingredients and of human and animal nutrition that involved more precise definition of nutrient requirements for growth, reproduction, lactation, and body maintenance in both humans and domestic Hvestock. Pood products have been developed to meet human needs under abnormal environments, eg, military rations for arctic, tropical, or desert environments, and special products for astronauts ia space flights. 

Functional properties, as considered from the point of view of the food processor, are those properties which impart desired physical characteristics to the products. For example, foam stability would be an important functional property to a producer of whipped toppings. From the perspective of the consumer, this functional property may contribute to satisfaction and lead to repeat purchases. Increasingly, however, the consumer is concerned with the nutritional impact of his purchases. Thus, the food industry will be pressured to expand its concept of functional properties to include nutritional considerations. Martinez (1) has recently suggested that functionality be defined as "the set of properties that contributes to the desired color, flavor, texture, and nutritive value of a product". In order to assess the nutritive value of a product, one must evaluate more than the presence of the nutrients one must evaluate nutrient bioavailability. 

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for humans and other vertebrates. Dietary sources of vitamin A are provided either by retinol esters, which are present in foods of animal origin and are hydrolyzed in the intestine to form retinol, or by plant carotenoids. More than 600 carotenoids have been identified in nature, of which 50 to 60 possess provitamin A properties and 10 have nutritional relevance (De Flora et al., 1999). 

The findings presented at this symposium have relevance far outside the narrow area of flavor chemistry. The taste measurements of the chemical properties of nutrient solutions have applications that range from physical organic chemistry to human nutrition. 

We are concerned here with the enzymatic liberation of products that convert chemicals to less utilizable forms. The idea is to employ plant enzymes to strike directly at the insect s most critical needs, essential nutrients. In general, plant tissues are low in total nitrogen and pose a "nutritional hurdle" for insect herbivores (94). Plant proteins normally have low sulfhydryl and lysine content (95), which are nutritional requirements for insects (90,91). The nucleophilic properties of these limiting amino acids make them particularly susceptible to covalent binding by strongly electrophilic molecules such as o-quinones, hydroperoxides, ben-zoxazinones, and isothiocyanates formed in damaged plant tissues. 

The impact of plant products on the metabolism of synthetic dmgs results from the inhibition or activation of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) enzymes. Evaluation of the potential activation of CYP by administration of natural plant products or dietary supplements is important for prediction of interactions between their components and dmgs. Therefore, attention is directed to research on the impact of products available on the food market known as natural non-nutritive substances on dmg absorption. Non-nutritive dietary components are mainly secondary plant metabolites, which include, among others, phenolic compounds such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. The health effects of non-nutritive substances are not yet known. So far, there is no answer on the extent to which they are absorbed and metabolized by the body, and there is no information on the permitted daily intake for these compounds. This information is particularly important because certain non-nutritive natural substances are simultaneously considered to be anti-nutritional factors, mainly because they inhibit digestion and reduce the bioavailability of nutrients or dmgs. It is also possible that they form undesirable interactions with dmgs. The positive health effects of non-nutritive natural substances are not only attributed to their antioxidant properties. These substances are involved in various metabolic... 

However, modern concepts of soil acidity were not developed until the middle of the 20th century. In the U.S.A., Jenny, Stout, Coleman, Harward, and others contributed heavily to a better understanding of the nature of soil acidity and related aspects of soil chemistry and plant nutrition (Coleman and Thomas, 1967). Soil pH has a profound influence on the availability of nutrients to crops, since chemical, microbiological and, to a lesser extent, physical properties of soils are affected by the degree of soil acidity or alkalinity that prevails. 

The truth is that some fruits proposed as super really aren t, and no claims about antioxidant health benefits from fruits are actually established by science or allowed by regulatory authorities. I m going to expose some misconceptions about this expanding category of superfoods and give you a list of twenty fruits that are actually super based on nutritional facts and scientific criteria. I ll share with you how these twenty superfruits can be easily added to your diet, not just because they are delicious, but also for their nutrient properties—scientifically proved to have the potential for lowering your risk of contracting major diseases. 

---