Preface

Recently, there have been major advances in our understanding of the chemistry and function of nutritional components. This has been enhanced by rapid developments in analytical techniques and instrumentation. Chemists, food scientists and nutritionists are, however, separated by divergent skills, and professional disciplines. Hitherto this transdisciplinary divide has been difficult to bridge.

The series Food and Nutritional Components in Focus aims to cover in a single volume the chemistry, analysis, function and effects of single components in the diet or its food matrix. Its aim is to link scientific disciplines so that information becomes more meaningful and applicable to health in general.

The series Food and Nutritional Components in Focus covers the latest knowledge base and has a structured format with major subsections covering

• Chemistry

• Analysis

• Function and Effects

In some books the section on Chemistry is also linked with Biochemistry and there are also additional sections such as Food Components in Context.

Each chapter has a novel cohort of features namely by containing:

• Summary Points

• Key Facts (areas of focus explained for the lay person)

• Definitions of Words and Terms

The series covers numerous classes of dietary components including, for example, minerals, vitamins, food additives, and so on. The chapters are written by national or international experts, specialists and leaders in the field.

In Selenium we have the following coverage: Section 1 Chemistry and Biochemistry has chapters on chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, selenoproteins, organoselenium derivatives, selenium dioxide, selenite ions, selenium species and fish. In Section 2 Analysis there are chapters on analytical strategies, techniques, selenoproteins, selenocysteine, selenomethionine, foodstuffs, 2D size-exclusion reversed-phase HPLC-ICP-MS, solid-phase extraction, atomic absorption spectrometry, selenometabolites, animals, plants, bioavailability, in vivo and in vitro testing, dietary supplements, Fourier transform infrared spectra and assessment by questionnaires. Section 3 Function and Effects covers functional foods, parenteral nutrition, biofortification, fruit, vegetables, legumes, semiarid conditions, saliva, selenohomolanthionine, medicine, nutrition, selenium cocktails, lycopene, cancers, skin cancer, cancer metastasis, cancer-prevention trials, autoimmune thyroiditis, brain, neuronal cells, vascular function, heart, Kashin–Beck disease, placenta, mitochondria, oxidative stress and microgels.

Selenium is specifically designed for chemists, analytical scientists, forensic scientists, food scientists, dieticians, nutritionists, food scientists and research academics. The series is also designed to be suitable for lecturers and teachers in food and nutritional sciences. Additionally and importantly, the series is also designed for college or university libraries as a reference guide.

Professor Victor R. Preedy

King’s College London