Preface
Oilseeds are grown all over the world and are considered important economic
crops. Recently, oilseeds have garnered the attention of researchers and food
scientists owing to their phytonutrients, which confer various health benefits,
particularly in prevention and treatment of several non-communicable diseases.
Oilseed processing yields valuable edible oil and protein-rich meal (cake) utilized
as feed. Advancement in science and technology research suggests that each
oilseed has one or the other phytochemical and/or antinutrient component/s
which depending on several factors are positively as well as negatively associated
with human health and well-being. The beneficial health effects of omega-3 fatty
acids, lignans (phytoesterogens) and phytosterols present in various oilseeds have
been evidenced in cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetes,
cancer, hypertension, etc. possibly due to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory
mechanisms. Consequently, the ever-increasing demand for functional foods has
steered the development and production of novel foods supplemented with functional and bioactive ingredients from oilseeds. In this book, 20 oilseeds (including
non-conventional sources) are discussed with special emphasis on their bioactive
components/phytonutrients and their health effects. The possible mechanisms
behind the physiological/metabolic effects as well as the physicochemical and
sensory changes in fortified foods have also been discussed. The contributing
authors are national and international experts in their respective fields, and we
are grateful for their valuable contribution and suggestions. All the chapters consist
of a brief history, proximate composition (including antinutrients and
phytonutrients, if present), associated health effects with major findings of the
clinical and epidemiological studies and food applications. This book will be of
interest to a wide spectrum of professionals from academia of food and nutrition,
pharmaceuticals, food science and technology, agriculture, etc. It will also serve as
v
Oilseeds are grown all over the world and are considered important economic
crops. Recently, oilseeds have garnered the attention of researchers and food
scientists owing to their phytonutrients, which confer various health benefits,
particularly in prevention and treatment of several non-communicable diseases.
Oilseed processing yields valuable edible oil and protein-rich meal (cake) utilized
as feed. Advancement in science and technology research suggests that each
oilseed has one or the other phytochemical and/or antinutrient component/s
which depending on several factors are positively as well as negatively associated
with human health and well-being. The beneficial health effects of omega-3 fatty
acids, lignans (phytoesterogens) and phytosterols present in various oilseeds have
been evidenced in cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, diabetes,
cancer, hypertension, etc. possibly due to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory
mechanisms. Consequently, the ever-increasing demand for functional foods has
steered the development and production of novel foods supplemented with functional and bioactive ingredients from oilseeds. In this book, 20 oilseeds (including
non-conventional sources) are discussed with special emphasis on their bioactive
components/phytonutrients and their health effects. The possible mechanisms
behind the physiological/metabolic effects as well as the physicochemical and
sensory changes in fortified foods have also been discussed. The contributing
authors are national and international experts in their respective fields, and we
are grateful for their valuable contribution and suggestions. All the chapters consist
of a brief history, proximate composition (including antinutrients and
phytonutrients, if present), associated health effects with major findings of the
clinical and epidemiological studies and food applications. This book will be of
interest to a wide spectrum of professionals from academia of food and nutrition,
pharmaceuticals, food science and technology, agriculture, etc. It will also serve as
v