A Chemical Approach to Food and Nutrition (Fox ... - ACS Publications

Brian A. Foz, Swansea College of. Technology, and ... Nursing, etc. where the present tendency is perhaps towad too ... Florida State University. Tall...
0 downloads 0 Views 682KB Size
BOOK REVIEWS cellent use of illustration to present such topics as titration curves, acid-base properties nnd electrochemical phenomena place this text in a class by itself. Modern instrumental techniques are not discussed in great detail, but many recent references (up to 1960) are provided. One is hard pressed to find a topic that has been omitt,ed. This text is divided into t ~ sections, o the first of which presents theoretioal concepts of analytical chemistry while the last. portion outlines t,he methods of s e p aration and identification of most of the elements. Although t,he descriptions are necessarily very brief, the material is well referenced. The- theoretical sertion is divided into

five parts: reactions in solution, electrochemistry, the methods of measurement, various solvents, and special methods and techniques. One has the feeling, after reading this reference, that this typo of text will greatly enhance any chemist's appreciation of analytical chemistry. Evcn before a n English translation of this work will be available, its purchase is highly reeommended. I t is worth noting that this hook is heing published in sections, such as, electrorhemistrv. colorimetrv. ctc. Thus an

ment in the entire volume. TXEODORE R. WILLIAMS College of Wooster Wooster, Ohio

A Chemical Approach to Food and Nutrition

Brian A. Foz, Swansea College of Technology, and Allan G. Cameron, Kingston-upon-Thanes Technical College, England. University of London Press, Ltd., London, 1961. 326 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22.5 cm. $4.50 postpaid. This book packs into one small volume a remarkable amount of useful information covering a very broad area. I t ranges all the way from chapters devoted to the elementary chemistry of atoms and molecules, through organic and food chemistry, into composition and structure of raw foods, effects of cooking, manufacturing and refining methods, nutritional values of foods and their relation to nutrient requirements of man, digestion and metabolism, preservation, adulteration and legal restrictions. In spite of its wide coverage, the book is quite readable. The information is well integrated and understandable a t an elementary level. It might be well worth considering as a hmic text for a general introductory course in Home Economies, Food Technology, Nursing, etc. where the present tendency is perhaps t o w a d too great a eompartmentaliaation of the various aspects of food science. My most serious criticism is that the book contains rather a large number of errors. Some of these are outright mistakes where there can be no question of several possible interpretations, such as the statements that acetic acid has no caloric value (p. 88), starch is converted into glucose and fructose, (p. 92), that all enzymes are inactivated during radiation sterilization of foods (p. 290), etc. Others result from attempts to generalize too broadly or to emphasize a point, for example the statement that bread is useless by itself for building body protein, that canned foods are as good nutritionally as the corresponding fresh foods, that almost all thiamine is destroyed in baking powder products. Still another kind of error is the acceptance by the author as established fact of one point of view in a controversial area as for example, the control of obesity by limiting the intake of carbohydrate but not that of f a t or protein. A further hindrance to the use of the book in this country is that some of the terminology, food regulations, etc. are peculiar to Great Britain and the reference lists lean heavily on British publications. BETTY M. WATTS Florida State University Tallahassee The Scientific Approach to Career Planning

M . C . Cobb. Lantern Press, Inc., New York, 1961. s.95.

142 pp.

14.5 X 21 em.

The student desiring a. broad picture of jab fields will be able to find it in this book. The various career fields presented include science, engineering, commerce,

(Contintred on page A424)

A422

/

Journol of Chemical Education