Vitamins in Foods ― Analysis, Bioavailability, And Stability

An experienced UK research lab and commercial pharmaceutical, biochemical, clinical, and food analyst asserts that optimal vitamin intake is necessary for good health. While lauding the progress made in this area through innovative analytical methods and government-approved food fortification strategies, Ball addresses issues in accurately estimating dietary requirements. Following introductory chapters on vitamins' nutritional properties and intestinal absorption, he devotes a chapter to each vitamin, covering its absorption, analysis, bioavailability, conservation, deficiency disease, dietary sources, metabolism, stability, storage, chemical structure, and synthesis by gut flora. While the effects of dietary fiber, alcohol, and smoking on bioavailability are discussed for some vitamins, malabsorption in "leaky gut" conditions is not. Specific analytical techniques occupies the rest of the volume. Annotation c2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)