Functional foods (foods with known bioactive properties) have shown potential for preventive and therapeutic treatments. However this potential must be safely determined before they enter the commercial market. At the same time nutrition research is transforming into a data driven field with reference to the identification and development of functional food products due to the large number of variables affecting food biochemistry in the human body. This volume presents reviews of recent advances in food chemistry food technology and nutraceutical research (for diet therapy and cosmetics).

Chapters in this volume cover a broad spectrum of topics:

- drug discovery and development in the modern nutraceutical industry

- recent developments in the extraction identification and quantification of bioactive peptides in foods

- concepts of bioavailability bioaccessibility bioactivity bioefficiency and bioconversion of bioactive foods

- synthetic routes for obtaining bioactive compounds

- the role of nutrigenomics to identify key cellular functions by specific genetic and epigenetic interactions with a nutrient

- anti-cancer properties of important bioactive components of medicinal plants

- the effect of a diet based on different bioactive foods on prevention and treatment of diabetes

- antioxidant effects on cardiovascular disease

- beneficial effects of bioactive foods on metabolic syndrome

- the potential of tauroursodeoxycholic acid on prevention and recovery of neurodegenerative diseases

- the effects of natural phytochemicals in prostate cancer

- the effects of methylxanthines (caffeine and others) and culinary methods on physiological and toxicological effects of the bioactive food constituents.

The volume is an ideal reference for pharmacy students nutritionists healthcare providers and nutraceutical R&D specialists interested in functional foods.

This volume presents different aspects related to bioactive compounds starting with their natural state in raw sources physicochemical characterization and employment in pharmacy and medicine. The volume is divided into three parts. The first part describes the chemicals structure of bioactive compounds from different natural sources such as olive oils wines and medicinal plants. Special attention has been given to identifying the bioactive composition within variations of these natural sources (for example extra virgin ordinary or lampante olive oils). The second part of the volume presents the principal methods used for detecting identifying and quantifying bioactive compounds. Emphasis is given to the use of different types of sensors or biosensors and multisensor systems in combination with analytical techniques. The final part explains the principal methods for protection of bioactive compounds and the implication of bioactive compounds in pharmacy. This volume is a useful guide for novice researchers interested in learning research methods to study bioactive compounds.

Frontiers in Bioactive Compounds brings edited reviews on the analysis and characterization of natural compounds of medicinal interest. Each volume covers useful information on a variety of natural sources as well as analytical techniques. This series is essential reading for analytical and medicinal chemists as well as professionals involved in natural and pharmaceutical product research and development.

"Frontiers in Natural Product Chemistry" is an Ebook series devoted to publishing the latest and most important advances in natural product chemistry. The Ebook series covers all aspects of research in the chemistry and biochemistry of naturally occurring compounds including coverage of work on natural substances of land and sea and of plants microbes and animals. Discussion of structure elucidation synthesis and experimental biosynthesis of natural products as well as developments of new methods are included. Chosen eminent scientists write contributions and each volume are devoted to major advances in natural product chemistry. Topics include the isolation structure biosynthesis biological activity and chemistry of the major groups of natural products such as alkaloids terpenoids steroids aliphatic aromatic and O-heterocyclic compounds and other metabolites of plant marine and microbial origins developments in enzymology nucleic acids genetics chemical ecology primary and secondary metabolism isolation and analytical techniques and other areas which will be of general interest to all workers in the area. "Frontiers in Natural Product Chemistry" is essential for all scientists involved in natural product chemistry who wish to keep abreast of rapid and important developments in the field.

Frontiers in Bioactive Compounds brings edited reviews on the analysis and characterization of natural compounds of medicinal interest. Each volume covers useful information on a variety of natural sources as well as analytical techniques. This series is essential reading for analytical and medicinal chemists as well as professionals involved in natural and pharmaceutical product research and development.