2 The nutrition handbook for food processors their respective strengths and weaknesses, to establish an up-to-date picture of dietary patterns in Europe. Against this background of food intake, Chapter 3 pro- vides an authoritative and comprehensive review of the latest research on the role of vitamins in health, considering such issues as function and bioavailabil ity, sources, requirements, the impact of deficiency, safety and toxicity. The next chapter reviews the impact of minerals such as calcium, iron and n health together with dietary sources, intake, supplementation and fortification. Chapter 5, which concentrates on copper, also considers in detail the methodological prob- lems in accurately measuring nutrient intake and effects It is consumers who make the final decision on what they eat based on a range of factors including, amongst many others, convenience and accessibility, price and brand image, perceived sensory quality and nutritional value. In assessing the latter they need appropriate information. Chapters 6 and 7 discuss how this information is best supplied. Chapter 6 considers the current regulatory regime in the EU and manufacturers'responsibilities in labelling. In particular, it dis- cusses research on how well consumers actually understand and use nutritional information together with ways in which such information can be improved so that consumers can make more informed choices in achieving the right diet. With the advent of so-called functional foods, nutritional science has moved from the jective of defining and achieving a balanced diet to the concept of optimised nutrition actively preventing disease(Roberfroid, 2000). Against this background Chapter 7 looks at current limitations in the accuracy of nutritional information both from the point of view of food composition and the impact of nutrients on health. Using the example of carbohydrates, it suggests new ways of measuring and presenting information on the health impact of food components Against this background of research on nutrients and the way consumers assess nutritional quality, the major part of this handbook is devoted to assessing the impact of food processing on key nutrients. The first two chapters in Part 2 look at raw materials. Chapter 8 discusses the strategies available for the nutritional enhancement of plant foods, most notably genetic modification. Meat is an impor- tant food in its own right and a component in many food products. Its contribu tion to health is both significant and controversial. Chapter 9 discusses health concerns about meat, how meat production has adapted to meet these concerns, and the latest research on the nutritional and broader functional benefits of meat consumption. The following chapters then look at individual processes and their impact on the nutritional quality of food. They are preceded by an introductory hapter which reviews more broadly the stability of vitamins during processing and how vitamin losses can be avoided. The remaining chapters follow a broadly similar pattern, describing an individual process and its applications, and then looking at the range of research on its impact on key nutrients from vitamins and minerals to lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. Chapters cover both traditional operations such as frying( Chapter 12)and freezing( Chapter 15)and newer tech- nologies such as modified atmosphere packaging( Chapter 16), ohmic heating Chapter 19) and high pressure processing( Chapter 21). A number of chapters look at thermal processing which has a particularly significant impact on nutritheir respective strengths and weaknesses, to establish an up-to-date picture of dietary patterns in Europe. Against this background of food intake, Chapter 3 pro￾vides an authoritative and comprehensive review of the latest research on the role of vitamins in health, considering such issues as function and bioavailabil￾ity, sources, requirements, the impact of deficiency, safety and toxicity. The next chapter reviews the impact of minerals such as calcium, iron and zinc on health together with dietary sources, intake, supplementation and fortification. Chapter 5, which concentrates on copper, also considers in detail the methodological prob￾lems in accurately measuring nutrient intake and effects. It is consumers who make the final decision on what they eat based on a range of factors including, amongst many others, convenience and accessibility, price and brand image, perceived sensory quality and nutritional value. In assessing the latter they need appropriate information. Chapters 6 and 7 discuss how this information is best supplied. Chapter 6 considers the current regulatory regime in the EU and manufacturers’ responsibilities in labelling. In particular, it dis￾cusses research on how well consumers actually understand and use nutritional information together with ways in which such information can be improved so that consumers can make more informed choices in achieving the right diet. With the advent of so-called functional foods, nutritional science has moved from the objective of defining and achieving a balanced diet to the concept of ‘optimised’ nutrition actively preventing disease (Roberfroid, 2000). Against this background, Chapter 7 looks at current limitations in the accuracy of nutritional information, both from the point of view of food composition and the impact of nutrients on health. Using the example of carbohydrates, it suggests new ways of measuring and presenting information on the health impact of food components. Against this background of research on nutrients and the way consumers assess nutritional quality, the major part of this handbook is devoted to assessing the impact of food processing on key nutrients. The first two chapters in Part 2 look at raw materials. Chapter 8 discusses the strategies available for the nutritional enhancement of plant foods, most notably genetic modification. Meat is an impor￾tant food in its own right and a component in many food products. Its contribu￾tion to health is both significant and controversial. Chapter 9 discusses health concerns about meat, how meat production has adapted to meet these concerns, and the latest research on the nutritional and broader functional benefits of meat consumption. The following chapters then look at individual processes and their impact on the nutritional quality of food. They are preceded by an introductory chapter which reviews more broadly the stability of vitamins during processing and how vitamin losses can be avoided. The remaining chapters follow a broadly similar pattern, describing an individual process and its applications, and then looking at the range of research on its impact on key nutrients from vitamins and minerals to lipids, carbohydrates and proteins. Chapters cover both traditional operations such as frying (Chapter 12) and freezing (Chapter 15) and newer tech￾nologies such as modified atmosphere packaging (Chapter 16), ohmic heating (Chapter 19) and high pressure processing (Chapter 21). A number of chapters look at thermal processing which has a particularly significant impact on nutri- 2 The nutrition handbook for food processors