Functional Polymers in Food Science

<p>  Polymers are an important part in everyday life; products made  from polymers range from sophisticated articles, such as  biomaterials, to aerospace materials. One of the reasons for the  great popularity exhibited by polymers is their ease of processing.  Polymer properties can be tailored to meet specific needs by  varying the atomic composition of the repeat  structure, by varying molecular weight and by the incorporation  (via covalent and non-covalent interactions) of an enormous range  of compounds to impart specific activities.     In food science, the use of polymeric materials is widely  explored, from both an engineering and a nutraceutical point of  view. Regarding the engineering application, researchers have  discovered the most suitable materials for intelligent packaging  which preserves the food quality and prolongs the shelf-life of the  products. Furthermore, in agriculture, specific functionalized  polymers are used to increase the efficiency of treatments and  reduce the environmental pollution. In the nutraceutical field,  because consumers are increasingly conscious of the relationship  between diet and health, the consumption of high quality foods has  been growing continuously. Different compounds (e.g. high quality  proteins, lipids and polysaccharides) are well known to contribute  to the enhancement of human health by different mechanisms,  reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary disease, and  hypertension.    This first volume, of this two volume book, concerns the  application of polymers in food packaging. </p>