Description
Scitus Academics Marine Nutraceuticals by Tai Hu Guan
Recent trends in functional foods and supplements have confirmed that bioactive molecules play a key therapeutic role in human disease. Nutritionists and biomedical and food scientists are working together to ascertain new bioactive molecules that have increased potency and therapeutic benefits. There is a great deal of consumer interest in natural bioactive substances due to their health benefits. Marine resources are gaining much attention as a gold mine of biologically active materials with healing power. Most of these metabolites have shown unique structural and functional features compared to their terrestrial counterparts. With the understanding of the requirement and the benefits of nutraceutical supplementation to prevent increasing incidences of life-style-related diseases, marine nutraceuticals has gained high demands worldwide. Among large number of marine nutraceuticals, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, chitin oligosaccharides, glucosamine, collagen, and fucoidan are popularly consumed.
Marine Nutraceuticals provides a wide-ranging account of marine-derived nutraceuticals and their prospective health benefits. Chapters address neuroprotecive properties of seaweeds, marine products and autoimmune disease, chitosan for weight management and dentistry, anticancer actions of omega-3 fatty acids, and much more. The book discourses the sources, isolation and purification, chemistry, functional relations, applications, and industrial viewpoints of marine-derived nutraceuticals. The beneficial effects of these marine nutraceuticals and their market positioning are highlighted. Furthermore, the need for research and development in this area to overcome the market challenges is also discussed. It will act as comprehensive guide for all readers interested in this growing field—a rich source for new compounds with promising uses in the nutraceutical, medicinal, and functional food industries.