The market for functional food products is growing rapidly, and bioactive ingredients for functional
food products are consequently the focus of a great deal of new research in food science and nutrition.
Covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, oceans are a vast source of plant and animal foods that
contain materials with the potential to be used as functional ingredients. Many such compounds have
been identified, isolated, and characterized as being potentially active against various degenerative
diseases in humans, including hypertension, oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases
and cancer.
Bioactive Compounds from Marine Foods: Plant and Animal Sources reviews the myriad published
information on bioactive components derived from marine foods, enabling researchers and product
developers to select appropriate functional ingredients for new products. It covers foods and food
ingredients from both animal and plant marine sources, focusing on those which demonstrate biological
properties and whose constituent compounds have been isolated and identified as potentially active.
Chapters address the biological activities of Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), oils, phospholipids,
proteins and peptides, fibres, carbohydrates, chitosans, vitamins and minerals, fucoxantin, polyphenols,
phytosterols, taurine, amongst others.
The book is organized by bioactive compounds but, where specific marine foods are sources of multiple
bioactive components - and have therefore been extensively studied (e.g. sea cucumber or seaweed) -
chapters gather together the findings on that food source. Extraction methods and analysis techniques
are also addressed. In bringing together and reviewing the substantial quantity of current research in this
fast-moving and commercially valuable sector of food and nutrition science, Bioactive Compounds from
Marine Foods: Plant and Animal Sources enables food scientists and product developers to investigate
and select the appropriate marine-derived functional ingredient for new, innovative food products.
