The present world population of about five billion and its projected growth cre ate enonnous pressures and demands for food and industrial raw materials. It is to crop plants, one of our precious few renewable resources, that we must look to meet most of these needs. Globally, about 88% of our caloric requirements and 90% of our protein ultimately derive from plant sources-ample evidence of their importance to humankind. Our survival will therefore continue to de pend on the world's largest and certainly most important industry: agriculture. Yet in spite of our long history of domestication and civilization, the number of crop species involved in sustaining human life is strictly limited: Essentially, some twenty-four crops protect us from starvation. To know these basic food crop plants-to study how they function and how their productivity may be improved--is the first step in solving the world food problem. The primary objectives in writing this book were to address this chal lenge and to review comprehensively the wealth of available yet scattered infor mation on food crop productivity and processing. Unlike several other texts and monographs in this field, the present work was intended to give, in a single volume, a quick, infonnative view of the various problems from field to table concerning the major food crops worldwide.

It is now well accepted that the consumption of plant-based foods is beneficial to human health. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and derived products can be excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, and fiber and usually have a favorable nutrient-to-energy ratio. Furthermore, plant foods are also a rich source of phytochemicals such as polyphenols, carotenoids, and betalains, with potential health benefits for humans. Many epidemiological studies have made a direct link between the consumption of plant foods and health. Human intervention studies have also shown that higher intake/consumption of plant foods can reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases, especially in at-risk populations such as obese people. In addition to its health benefits, plant foods are also used as functional ingredients in food applications such as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and natural colorants. The Special Issue “Foods of Plant Origin” covers biodiscovery, functionality, the effect of different cooking/preparation methods on bioactive (plant food) ingredients, and strategies to improve the nutritional quality of plant foods by adding other food components using novel/alternative food sources or applying non-conventional preparation techniques.

Food is adulterated to increase profit or due to negligence. Adulteration can compromise food safety and quality, and harm consumers. This may undermine consumer trust and the reputation of the food industry. As such, it is very important to monitor, control and detect adulteration. A number of techniques have been developed for the authentication of food and verifying its quality and associated claims. Foods of plant origin are the source of nutrients for billions of people around the globe. Due to the huge variety of plants, and the lack of visual characteristics as a result of processing, advanced techniques are required to detect adulteration. This book reviews the latest developments in the field of authenticity of foods of plant origin, examining concepts such as traceability, and how they are applied to facilitate the support of claims, as well as legislative requirements in the major economies around the world. The basic techniques used nowadays in verifying authenticity of these types of foods are reviewed and discussed, and their applications are summarized. The book also focuses on categories of foods most prone to adulteration attempts due to their characteristics, properties and production methods commonly followed, thus allowing the reader to more easily identify the chapter that is of interest in each case. The book will be of interest to food industrialists, chemists, quality control scientists and technologists, microbiologists, analytical chemists and food physical chemists within the food industry. It is also aimed at academicians who are interested in the authenticity of foods of plant origin and the advancements in the analytical fields that support relevant legal and marketing requirements.

"A comprehensive and entertaining historical and botanical review, providing an enjoyable and cognitive read.”—Nature The foods we eat have a deep and often surprising past. From almonds and apples to tea and rice, many foods that we consume today have histories that can be traced out of prehistoric Central Asia along the tracks of the Silk Road to kitchens in Europe, America, China, and elsewhere in East Asia. The exchange of goods, ideas, cultural practices, and genes along these ancient routes extends back five thousand years, and organized trade along the Silk Road dates to at least Han Dynasty China in the second century BC. Balancing a broad array of archaeological, botanical, and historical evidence, Fruit from the Sands presents the fascinating story of the origins and spread of agriculture across Inner Asia and into Europe and East Asia. Through the preserved remains of plants found in archaeological sites, Robert N. Spengler III identifies the regions where our most familiar crops were domesticated and follows their routes as people carried them around the world. With vivid examples, Fruit from the Sands explores how the foods we eat have shaped the course of human history and transformed cuisines all over the globe.

Plants and plant-derived products make up the bulk of what we eat and drink every day.... This scientifically accurate photographic guide provides quick and colourful answers. Food Plants of the World is a comprehensive overview of the plants that provide us with food, beverages, spices and flavours. It is written in easy language but gives accurate scientific information on the plants and their uses. Cover, page [4]

One of the challenges facing the world is feeding the ever-increasing population, with food security being a growing 21st century problem. This stresses the need for coordinated international systems to prevent and mitigate food fraud in global food supply chains. Food fraud, which is usually financially motivated, has significant consequences including unfair competition, major damage to markets and organizations, loss of consumer confidence, and it raises food safety issues. A shift toward a more plant-based diet can be endorsed to promote sustainability but also to improve public health and minimize animal suffering. The aim of this book is to deal with issues related to authenticity and chemometrics of the most important food products of plant origin, such as cereals, nuts, legumes, table olives and olive oil, coffee, tea, fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, spices, mushrooms, beers and wines, and honey, using state-of-the-art analytical techniques and instrumentation coupled with available chemometric tools.

Over the last 20-30 years the number of food poisoning incidents has increased considerably and this has had disastrous effects both on consumers and the food industry. Several food industries went bankrupt due to huge amounts of money paid to compensate consumers' family/relatives. These unfortunate incidents triggered consumer and governmental aw