I read this book the same weekend that the Packers took on the Rams, and the experience of the latter event, obviously, colored my judgment. Although I abhor anything that smacks of being a handbook (like, \"How to Earn a Merit Badge in Neurosurgery\") because too many volumes in biomedical science already evince a boyscout-like approach, I must confess that parts of this volume are fast, scholarly, and significant, with certain reservations. I like parts of this well-illustrated book because Dr. Sj6strand, without so stating, develops certain subjects on technique in relation to the acquisition of judgment and sophistication. And this is important! So, given that the author (like all of us) is somewhat deficient in some areas, and biased in others, the book is still valuable if the uninitiated reader swallows it in a general fashion, realizing full well that what will be required from the reader is a modulation to fit his vision, propreception, adaptation and response, and the kind of problem he is undertaking. A major deficiency of this book is revealed by comparison of its use of physics and of chemistry to provide understanding and background for the application of high resolution electron microscopy to problems in biology. Since the volume is keyed to high resolution electron microscopy, which is a sophisticated form of structural analysis, but really morphology in a modern guise, the physical and mechanical background of The instrument and its ancillary tools are simply and well presented. The potential use of chemical or cytochemical information as it relates to biological fine structure , however, is quite deficient. I wonder when even sophisticated morphol-ogists will consider fixation a reaction and not a technique; only then will the fundamentals become self-evident and predictable and this sine qua flon will become less mystical. Staining reactions (the most inadequate chapter) ought to be something more than a technique to selectively enhance contrast of morphological elements; it ought to give the structural addresses of some of the chemical residents of cell components. Is it pertinent that auto-radiography gets singled out for more complete coverage than other significant aspects of cytochemistry by a high resolution microscopist, when it has a built-in minimal error of 1,000 A in standard practice? I don't mean to blind-side (in strict football terminology) Dr. Sj6strand's efforts for what is \"routinely used in our laboratory\"; what is done is usually well done. It's just that …

Methods in Enzymology.

Natural-based plasticizers and biopolymer films: A review

Research on and the application of polyphenols, have recently attracted great interest in the functional foods, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries, due to their potential health benefits to humans. However, the effectiveness of polyphenols depends on preserving the stability, bioactivity and bioavailability of the active ingredients. The unpleasant taste of most phenolic compounds also limits their application. The utilization of encapsulated polyphenols, instead of free compounds, can effectively alleviate these deficiencies. The technologies of encapsulation of polyphenols, including spray drying, coacervation, liposome entrapment, inclusion complexation, cocrystallization, nanoencapsulation, freeze drying, yeast encapsulation and emulsion, are discussed in this review. Current research, developments and trends are also discussed.

Encapsulation of polyphenols – a review

Composition, molecular structure, and physicochemical properties of tuber and root starches: a review.

Food packaging is concerned with the preservation and protection of all types of foods and their raw materials, particularly from oxidative and microbial spoilage and also to extend their shelf-life characteristics. Increased use of synthetic packaging films has led to serious ecological problems due to their total non-biodegradability. Continuous awareness by one and all towards environmental pollution by the latter and as a result the need for a safe, eco-friendly atmosphere has led to a paradigm shift on the use of biodegradable materials, especially from renewable agriculture feedstock and marine food processing industry wastes. Such an approach amounts to natural resource conservation and recyclability as well as generation of new, innovative design and use. Their total biodegradation to environmentally friendly benign products such as CO 2 , water and quality compost is the turning point which needs to be capitalized and encashed. Polymer cross-linking and graft copolymerization of natural polymers with synthetic monomers are other alternatives of value in biodegradable packaging films. Although their complete replacement for synthetic plastics is just impossible to achieve and perhaps may be even unnecessary, at least for a few specific applications our attention and needful are required in the days to come. No doubt, eventually BIOPACKAGING will be our future.

Biodegradable films and composite coatings: past, present and future

Effects of formulation (lipid presence, type of starch, and plasticizer) on microstructure, water vapor (WVP) and gas (GP) permeabilities of films and coatings were analyzed. Plasticizer was necessary to maintain film and coating integrity and to avoid pores and cracks. Films made from high amylose starch showed lower WVP and GP than regular corn starch films; permeabilities of films with sorbitol (20 g/L) were lower than those with glycerol. The addition of 2g/L sunflower oil to the formulations decreased WVP of starch-based films; X-ray diffraction and Differential Scanning Calorimetry experiments demonstrated that films with plasticizer and lipid showed lower crystalline-amorphous ratio compared to films without additives. Microstructural observations helped explain the decrease of the film permeabilities during storage.

Miriam Nora Martino

Papers

Lipid Addition to Improve Barrier Properties of Edible Starch‐based Films and Coatings

Effects of controlled storage on thermal, mechanical and barrier properties of plasticized films from different starch sources

Microstructural characterization of yam starch films

Influence of dietary fiber addition on sensory and rheological properties of yogurt

Barrier, mechanical and optical properties of plasticized yam starch films