For lipid scientists, discusses chemical and physical characteristics, biological effects, oxidation stability, fatty acid compositions, and nutritional properties of food fats. Among the topics are the relationship of fatty acids to health problems such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, and cancer; methods of chromatography for analyzing, identifying, and quantifying fatty acids; isotope techniques for measuring lipid metabolism; the differences between saturated, unsaturated, oxygenated, and cyclic fatty acids; the content and composition of phospholipids, triglycerides, and mono-unsaturated and long-chain saturated fatty acids in foods; the satiating effects of fats and other biological reactions that influence eating behavior; how fatty acids mediate the activation and expression of genes that regulate cellular signaling, fat cell differentiation, and apoptosis; and the safety and efficacy of fat substitutes such as olestra. The second edition is substantially enlarged and revised; no date is mentioned for he first. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
