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Books in Agricultural and biological sciences

The Agricultural and Biological Sciences collection advances science-based knowledge for the improvement of animal and plant life and for secure food systems that produce nutritious, novel, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact. Food Science titles include not only those products from agriculture but all other aspects from food production to nutrition, health and safety, chemistry to security, policy, law and regulation. Biological Sciences address animal behaviour and biodiversity, organismal and evolutionary biology, entomology, marine biology and aquaculture, plant science and forestry.

  • Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils

    • 1st Edition
    • Abdalbasit Adam Mariod
    • English
    Multiple Biological Activities of Unconventional Seed Oils brings detailed knowledge concerning the biological properties of oils (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, etc.), the content of individual substances with health-promoting properties, methods for biological properties assay, the influence of raw material quality and technological processes on the quality of oils, and possible raw materials and oil contaminants with adverse health effects. The book's chapters also highlight the unique properties of new oils, along with their biological activities. Less than a decade ago, the vegetable oils on grocery store shelves were derived from conventional oil seeds e.g., cotton, groundnut, sesame, corn sunflower and soybean. However, as consumers began to understand how fat intake affects overall health, researchers, plant growers and food manufacturers started to produce oils from unconventional sources. This book highlights what we've learned in the process.
  • Processing Contaminants in Edible Oils

    MCPD and Glycidyl Esters
    • 2nd Edition
    • Shaun MacMahon + 1 more
    • English
    Fully revised and updated, Processing Contaminants in Edible Oils, 2nd edition, presents the latest research on monochloropropanedio... (MCPD) and glycidyl esters in edible oils. These potentially harmful contaminants are formed during the industrial processing of food oils during deodorization. A number of advancements in understanding these have been made since the publication of the first edition. These important changes, which impact industrial mitigation, analytical methods, toxicology and regulation, are highlighted for up-to-date reference. The mechanisms of formation for MCPD and glycidyl ester contaminants, as well as research identifying possible precursor molecules are reviewed, as are strategies which have been used successfully to decrease the concentrations of these contaminants. From the removal of precursor molecules before processing, modifications of deodorization protocol, to approaches for the removal of these contaminants after the completion of processing, methods of mitigating and eliminating contaminants are presented.
  • Sensory Analysis for the Development of Meat Products

    Methodological Aspects and Practical Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • José Manuel Lorenzo + 3 more
    • English
    Sensory Analysis for the Development of Meat Products: Methodological Aspects and Practical Applications highlights the application of sensory analysis in the development of meat products. It presents the background and historical aspects of sensory evaluation on the characterization and development of meat products. Divided into two sections, the book discusses fundamental concepts, methodological approaches, statistical analysis, innovative methods, and presents case studies using these approaches. Chapter include definitions, applications, literature reviews, recent developments, methods and end of chapter glossaries. Researchers in sensory analysis and meat processing, as well as new product developers, will benefit from this comprehensive resource on the topics discussed.
  • Microbiome Under Changing Climate

    Implications and Solutions
    • 1st Edition
    • Ajay Kumar + 2 more
    • English
    Microbiome Under Changing Climate: Implications and Solutions presents the latest biotechnological interventions for the judicious use of microbes to ensure optimal agricultural yield. Summarizing aspects of vulnerability, adaptation and amelioration of climate impact, this book provides an important resource for understanding microbes, plants and soil in pursuit of sustainable agriculture and improved food security. It emphasizes the interaction between climate and soil microbes and their potential role in promoting advanced sustainable agricultural solutions, focusing on current research designed to use beneficial microbes such as plant growth promoting microorganisms, fungi, endophytic microbes, and more. Changes in climatic conditions influence all factors of the agricultural ecosystem, including adversely impacting yield both in terms of quantity and nutritional quality. In order to develop resilience against climatic changes, it is increasingly important to understand the effect on the native micro-flora, including the distribution of methanogens and methanotrophs, nutrient content and microbial biomass, among others.
  • Gene Regulatory Mechanisms in Development and Evolution: Insights from Echinoderms

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 146
    • English
    Sea urchins and other echinoderms, which have been studied intensively by developmental biologists for more than a century, are currently among the most prominent models for elucidating the genomic regulatory processes that control embryogenesis and the evolution of those processes. This volume contains reviews from the world’s leading researchers who are using echinoderms to address these questions. Chapters focus on gene regulatory networks that drive the differentiation and morphogenesis of major embryonic tissues such as the skeleton, muscle, nervous system, immune system, pigment cells, and germ line, and on evolutionary insights from comparative studies of these networks across echinoderms and other taxa. Other chapters comprehensively review the architecture and evolution of the cell signaling pathways that establish the early embryonic axes and on recent evolutionary changes in gene networks that have led to dramatic changes in the life history modes of echinoderms. This volume provides a comprehensive, current picture of exciting research at the interface between developmental genomics and evolution from one of the research communities leading this work.
  • The Pharmacological Potential of Cyanobacteria

    • 1st Edition
    • Graciliana Lopes + 2 more
    • English
    The Pharmacological Potential of Cyanobacteria explores the bioactive compounds isolated from cyanobacteria and their relationship to human health and biotechnological applications. The book presents an overview of the chemistry and ecology of cyanobacteria, focusing on culture needs and techniques of biomass production. It is organized according to the different biological activities and biotechnological applications of compounds discovered in recent years. Besides biological activity, the mechanism of action of compounds is explained, along with molecular structure. Finally, compounds already used in therapeutics and biotechnology, as well as those in phases of approval or clinical trials are explored. Each chapter is written by a different research group with expertise in the field and publications in peer reviewed journals. Researchers and students in pharmaceutical academic research, pharmaceutical industrial sector personnel, health professionals, and nutritionists will find this book to be very useful.
  • Advances in Dairy Microbial Products

    • 1st Edition
    • Joginder Singh Panwar + 1 more
    • English
    Advances in Dairy Microbial Products describes the importance and utility of microbial products used in dairy products. This book explains the makeup of these products in a scientifically sound yet simple manner. The appeal of this book is its holistic approach to addressing the different aspects of the dairy industry, from basic dairy microbial biochemistry to production of dairy products and their nutrient quality, and finally to machine learning applications in dairy industry. Comprised of chapters written and edited by international authorities and researchers with top expertise in dairy products, it offers both established and cutting-edge solutions to the numerous challenges commonly encountered in the industrial processing of milk and the production of milk products. This book offers a highly practical approach to the topic, addressing and tackling the problems faced in the workplace by dairy technologists. Researchers and practitioners will find this book to be an ideal source of thorough and up-to-date information on dairy microbial products while also appealing to beginners seeking to understand how advanced dairy technologies can increase the efficiency of current techniques.
  • Advances in Agronomy

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 171
    • Donald L. Sparks
    • English
    Advances in Agronomy, Volume 171, the latest release in this leading reference, contains a variety of updates and new advances in the field, including updates on Elevated CO2 in Semi-arid Cropping Systems: A Synthesis of Research from the Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment (AGFACE) Research Program, Simultaneous Effects of Legume Cultivation on Carbon and Nitrogen Accumulation in Soil, Growing Small Grains Organically in the Semiarid West: A Review of Markets and Management Practices to Optimize Productivity and Sustainability, Principles and Applications of Topography in Precision Agriculture, Retention of Heavy Metals by Dredged Sediments and their Management Following Land Application, and more. Other chapters focus on Genetic Diversity for Developing Climate-resilient Wheats to Achieve Food Security Goals and A Century of Subclover: Lessons for Sustainable Intensification from a Historical Review of Innovations in Subterranean Clover Seed Production.
  • Agriculture's Ethical Horizon

    • 3rd Edition
    • Robert L Zimdahl
    • English
    Agriculture’s Ethical Horizon: Third Edition covers the changing environment in which practitioners of agriculture are challenged to produce food for the world. Fully revised and updated, the book encourages discussions on the moral questions that agriculture faces, including what goals should agricultural science pursue and how should practitioners address important ethical questions which are different and more complex than the dominating questions of production? The book presents the story of agriculture from the blood, sweat and tears era, to the present genetic era, including the paradox of agriculture. This book is ideal for agricultural students, practitioners and anyone who would like to understand the tremendous responsibility of agricultural production. It presents a foundation for the important discussions and decisions that will be necessary to support the future of agriculture.
  • Photosynthesis in Action

    Harvesting Light, Generating Electrons, Fixing Carbon
    • 1st Edition
    • Alexander Ruban + 2 more
    • English
    Photosynthesis in Action examines the molecular mechanisms, adaptations and improvements of photosynthesis. With a strong focus on the latest research and advances, the book also analyzes the impact the process has on the biosphere and the effect of global climate change. Fundamental topics such as harvesting light, the transport of electronics and fixing carbon are discussed. The book also reviews the latest research on how abiotic stresses affect these key processes as well as how to improve each of them. This title explains how the process is flexible in adaptations and how it can be engineered to be made more effective. End users will be able to see the significance and potential of the processes of photosynthesis. Edited by renowned experts with leading contributors, this is an essential read for students and researchers interested in photosynthesis, plant science, plant physiology and climate change.