Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans s introduces and analyzes traditional foods from the Balkans. Beginning with the eating habits in Balkans, this book unfolds the history of use, origin, compositions and preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and the effects on health for various foods and food products of the region. Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans also addresses local and international regulations and provides suggestions on how to harmonize these regulations to promote global availability of these foods. A volume in a series co-produced with Global Harmonization Initiative, Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans is sure to be a welcomed reference for nutrition researchers and professionals, including nutritionists, dieticians, food scientists, food technologists, toxicologists, regulators, and product developers as well as educators, and students. - Analyzes nutritional and health claims in the Balkan region - Includes traditional foods from the Balkans - Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims - Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements and how to remedy noncompliance - Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today's diets

Although tiny in comparison with other European countries, Albania looms large in terms of its people, culture and history. Blessed by an abundance of natural resources, together with the resourcefulness of its people, it stands strong in the face of much larger countries that have tried to control it and subjugate its people. In the face of overwhelming odds, Albania stood firm, refusing to be subdued to others despite that dominant country remaining on its soil for centuries. Descendants from the ancient Illyrians, a relatively unknown group, together with an obscure language unlike any other in Europe, its people are a mystery and a conundrum in the face of larger and more powerful countries. The Ottoman Empire, for example, dominated Albania and the Balkans for five centuries, but were unable to subjugate these people. Albanian embers for independence were nurtured and kept alive until, in the end, it achieved its national aspirations. Its core identity remained unchanged and strong in the face of such challenge. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Albanian is the concept of besa, a term denoting a code of honor. Once given to another, whether an Albanian or a stranger, the Albanian would rather forfeit his life than violate this code and promise. It was due to this concept and code that Jews in Albania, were protected and every manner of succor was extended to them. Albania remains the only country in Nazi-occupied Europe when at the end of that world war there was an increase in its Jewish population rather than the reverse. The Nazis considered the Jewish population in Albania to be about 200 persons. In fact, by war’s end, 2,000 people emerged, relating tales of the extraordinary courage and heroism extended to them by either Muslim or Christian Albanians. To date the State of Israel’s Yad Vashem has recognized 75 Albanians for its prestigious award of Righteous Among the Nations. Ironically, the very same code of honor that protected Jews during World War Two is now used by Albanians to perpetrate criminality across the world. The Albanian Mafia controls a vast international enterprise, overseeing every form of crime. At its basest element, the clannish hallmark of its membership is based on familial connections, with the code of besa given to its leadership and other members. Thereby, all in the clan are considered family for whom the code connects and protects, demanding total unquestioned obedience. Efforts to infiltrate these clans has proven an impossible task because of the interconnected webs of duty and control exerted on all in that organization. Betrayal of the clan is a violation of family and community so that total obedience is a given at all times. Hence, the same nobility of besa is also used negatively, against society and normative social frameworks. In addition, Albania still retains the cultural phenomenon of the ‘third sex’ where women become ‘sworn virgins.’ They are released from their traditional feminine role and become a ‘man,’ doing so by a formal oath given to twelve elders in the community. Afterwards, none may remind this ‘man’ of a previous life as a woman. Though the number of sworn virgins in Albania is small, it is still present and any woman may assume this transformation despite modernity and its claims of equality. The Albanian diet reflects its Mediterranean culture, using olive oil and an array of vegetables that provides an abundance of health to its people. There is much to learn from this ancient society. I hope this book does justice to the many traditions and culture of this unique people.

Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Eastern Europe provides an analysis of traditional and ethnic foods from Eastern Europe, including selections from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The book addresses history of use, origin, composition and preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and the effects on health for various foods and food products in each of these countries. In addition, it presents both local and international regulations, while also providing suggestions on how to harmonize these regulations to promote global availability of these foods. - Analyzes nutritional and health claims relating to Eastern European foods - Includes traditional and ethnic foods from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims - Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements and how to remedy non-compliance - Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today's diets

The market for functional foods is steadily expanding as more people worldwide realize the value of the daily consumption of healthy foods in maintaining good health. Recent studies have revealed new functional compounds in foods. Genetically modified foods will soon be commercially available. This book discusses the characteristics of functional foods and the health benefits of ingredients including ginger, herbs, probiotics, mushrooms, and dairy products. It also provides new ideas for the production of new functional foods and managing health through the daily diet.

This book Food in a Planetary Emergency is a timely overview of the current food systems and the required transformations to respond to the challenges of climate change, population pressures, biodiversity loss and use of natural resources, such as soils, water and phosphorus. This book takes a planetary health perspective which explores the links between natural systems and human wellbeing implying that there is need for united actions to achieve important environmental and population health co-benefits. This book outlines that the foundation of planetary health is sustainability. It addresses environment and climate change emergency as a global agenda, however, emphasises the urgency of the sustainability perspective which integrates a wide spectrum of issues that require integrated solutions to offer better prospects for humanity. This book drives this argument further through the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where food is not just SDG2 but transcends all 17 goals. This book tackles the problems of food production and consumption at a global, industry and individual level linking it to topics related to the natural environment, climate change, waste, marketing, new ways of producing food and providing alternative proteins, mitigating non-communicable diseases, flexitarianism and the role of Generation Z in the emerging dietary choices. This book benefits readers with understanding the importance and intricacy of their dietary choices at a point in time when our planet is facing an emergency triggered by long-term dependence on fossil fuels and artificial fertilisers but also by the ways we have provided food. However, this book also delivers the message that safeguarding and sustaining planetary health is possible.

These case stories focus on an important event, mishap, management practice, or ethical question, and present important lessons to the reader. Their objective is to educate, inspire, motivate, challenge, and encourage food professionals to better understand food safety management and to help increase job effectiveness and productivity with ethics and integrity. Each case addresses its subject in terms of relevance and application to food safety and covers all types of risks (e.g., microbial, chemical, physical) associated with each step of the food chain. In an engaging format, the book provides an analysis of incidents or near misses. It highlights pitfalls in food safety management and provides key insight into the means of avoiding them. The book captures the real-life experience of food safety professionals around the world in very challenging situations, and invites the reader to reflect on and discuss the situations depicted. It is an essential reference for students and food professionals, including scientists, managers, trainers, food inspectors, public health officials, and more. Each of the 87 short cases includes a paragraph on “Discussion and key learnings”, which will appeal equally to educators, students and working professionals in this field.

Mămăligă, maize porridge or polenta, is a universally consumed dish in Romania and a prominent national symbol. But its unusual history has rarely been told. Alex Drace-Francis surveys the arrival and spread of maize cultivation in Romanian lands from Ottoman times to the eve of the First World War, and also the image of mămăligă in art and popular culture. Drawing on a rich array of sources and with many new findings, Drace-Francis shows how the making of mămăligă has been shaped by global economic forces and overlapping imperial systems of war and trade. The story of maize and mămăligă provides an accessible way to revisit many key questions of Romanian and broader regional history. More generally, the book links the history of production, consumption, and representation. Analyses of recipes, literary and popular depictions, and key vocabulary complete the work.

Handbook of Plant-Based Meat Analogs : Innovation, Technology and Quality presents the growing opportunities and challenges of meat substitutes from plant-based resources. Addressing core topics from source ingredients to consumer acceptance, the book provides a comprehensive starting point for those seeking to explore sustainable meat alternative products. To date, the full potential of plant-based meat products has been underexplored, underutilized, and underrepresented. Plant-based meat analogs provide options for health benefits for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. They also offer improved ecological profiles through reduction of greenhouse gases and other environmental impacts. This book provides the most up-to-date information on plant-based meat analogs, sources of ingredients , industrial processes, large scale production, health benefits including the safety and regulatory aspects, and environmental implications. - Organizes chapters by sections on types, processing, health benefits, sensory evaluation, and regulatory/safety issues of meat analogs - Includes methods and protocols for producing, storing, and evaluating meat analogs - Covers meat analogs from plants, grains, nuts, microbes, and more - Provides case studies to illustrate concepts and practices

Quality foods, such as traditional, EU certified, organic and health claimed are part of a growing trend towards added value in the agri-food sector. In these foods, elements of production, processing, marketing, agro-tourism and speciality stores are combined. Paramount above all is the link to the consumer, which requires a personal approach. At this point, one enters the field of food consumer science. This can be seen as a hybrid of two distinct sciences. On one hand, there is the 'hardware' component, i.e. the science of food. On the other hand, the 'software' component, related to the science of consumers' preferences and behaviour. In animal science, nearly all attention is given to the 'hardware' aspect. However, to build a successful business in quality food products, the 'software' aspect is essential. This publication devotes special attention to the consumer and gives insight into an area of knowledge still very much in development. It is intended to enhance understanding of the complex relationships in the route from products to consumers and offers practical solutions in this field. This publication includes review articles covering basic aspects of food consumer science and research trends in the field, and a series of country reports and articles on relevant studies related to the topic, with emphasis on Southern Europe.