The book reports the proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematical Modeling in Nutrition and Environmental Toxicology held at the University of Georgia in September, 2003. Experts describe the use of modeling and simulation to study problems in obesity, diabetes, cancer, nutrient metabolism, risk assessment, and toxicology. Hypothesis testing, database construction, and educational uses of computers are also discussed.

These proceedings contain 15 papers on the recent advances in pig and poultry mechanistic modelling. Notable among the papers is the consideration of new components of the animal production process, such as social stressors and disease. Understanding of some new systems such as the physiological control of egg production in hens by modelling is the given focus in one paper. The topics covered in the other papers include the following: introduction to modelling in the animal sciences, different approaches to modelling animal systems; basic concepts describing animal growth and feed intake; modelling populations for purposes of optimization; advancements in empirical models for prediction and prescription; nutrient flow models, energy transactions and energy feed systems; evaluation of animal genotypes through model inversion; considerations for representing microenvironmental conditions in simulation models for broiler chickens; use of physiological models to define environmental control strategies; comparison of pig growth models from the genetic point of view; model of metabolism in the sow; and place of models in the new technologies of production systems.

A variety of processing methods are used to make foods edible; to pennit storage; to alter texture and flavor; to sterilize and pasteurize food; and to destroy microorganisms and other toxins. These methods include baking, broiling, cooking, freezing, frying, and roasting. Many such efforts have both beneficial and harmful effects. It is a paradox of nature that the processing of foods can improve nutrition, quality, safety, and taste, and yet occasionally lead to the formation of anti-nutritional and toxic compounds. These multifaceted consequences of food processing arise from molecular interactions among nutrients with each other and with other food ingredients. Since beneficial and adverse effects of food processing are of increasing importance to food science, nutrition, and human health, and since many of the compounds formed have been shown to be potent carcinogens and growth inhibitors in animals, I organized a symposium broadly concerned with the nutritional and toxicological consequences of food processing. The symposium was sponsored by the American Institute of Nutrition (AIN) -Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) for its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., April 1-5, 1990. Invited speakers were asked to develop at least one of the following topics: 1. Nutrient-nonnutrient interactions between amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, vitamins, tannins, fiber, natural toxicants, etc. 2. Effects of radiation. 3. Thermally induced formation of dietary mutagens, antimutagens, carcinogens, anticarcinogens, antioxidants, and growth inhibitors. 4. Effects of pH on nutritional value and safety.