Essential Fatty Acids Sources, Processing Effects, and Health Benefits

Essential fatty acids are fatty acids that humans must ingest because the body requires them for good health, but it cannot synthesize itself. Therefore, such nutrients need to be supplied from either diet or dietary supplements. Recent studies raised scientific and medical interest in the beneficial effects of these fatty acids on brain and retina function, as well as reducing ill health effects, such as cardio-metabolic diseases. Thus, there is an interest in developing requirements and dietary recommendations.

Essential Fatty Acids: Sources, Processing Effects, and Health Benefits provides a systematic introduction and comprehensive information about the essentiality of diets rich in omega fatty acids for successful human growth, development and disease prevention. This book presents detailed knowledge about essential fatty acids, their different food sources, biochemistry, and metabolism. It provides a comprehensive assessment of current knowledge about the effects of various processing and storage conditions on essential fatty acids, their bioavailability and supplementation in foods and diet. Chapters highlight the contribution of essential fatty acids in prevention and improvement of various conditions such as heart problems, arthritis, cancer, brain and bone health, especially in developing fetuses and children.

Key Features:

• Presents comprehensive information on nutritional and health aspects of fats and essential fatty acids
• Contains a wealth of information on the structure, sources, biochemistry and nutritional properties of essential fatty acids
• Provides the latest information about the changes in essential fatty acids during various processing and storage conditions
• Highlights the bioavailability, supplementation and dietary requirements of these fatty acids

By bringing together diverse areas of biochemistry, storage, as well as processing behavior and dietary requirements, this book lays the groundwork for striking expansion in our understanding of these important biochemicals and their role in health and disease prevention. Essential Fatty Acids will be of interest to a large and varied audience of researchers in academia, industry, nutrition, dietetics, food science, agriculture, and regulators.

Essential fatty acids: Introduction. Sources: Plants, Animals and Microbial. Structural chemistry of essential fatty acids. Properties: Physical, Chemical and Functional. Mechanism of action of essential fatty acids. Effect of thermal and non-thermal processing on EFA. Effect of storage on Essential Fatty Acids. Essential fatty acid bioavailability: a dietary perspective. Enrichment of Essential Fatty Acids in Foods. Dietary intake and recommendations for EFA. Essential Fatty Acids and their Health Benefits.Dietary Fatty acids: A key requirement for healthy life in special reference with its Future perspective.

Sanju Bala Dhull, Ph.D. is presently working as Senior Assistant Professor in Department of Food Science and Technology, Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa, having more than 11 years of teaching and research experience. Her area of interests includes synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles, nanoemulsions and antimicrobial activity of nanoformulations in food and characterization of biomolecules. She has published more than 10 research papers in journals of national and international repute. She presented more than 20 research paper in various national and international conferences. She is an active member of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) and Association of Microbiologists of India. She is a reviewer of several national and international journals.

Sneh Punia, Ph.D. is presently working as Assistant Professor in Department of Food Science and Technology, CDLU, Sirsa. Her area of interests includes antioxidant, starch, and development of new products. She has published more than 12 research papers in national and international journals. She presented more than 10 research paper in various national and international conferences. She also serves as the reviewer for various international journals. She is an active member of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) and Association of Microbiologists of India. She is a reviewer of several national and international journals.

Kawaljit Singh Sandhu, Ph.D. is presently working as Associate Professor in Department of Food Science and Technology, Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda. He was awarded with postdoctoral fellowship from Korea University, Seoul, South Korea. With more than 10 years of research and teaching experience, his research interest is focused on starch, starch modification, antioxidants, nano-technology and drug delivery. Dr. Sandhu received several research projects