“Occurrences, Structure, Biosynthesis, and Health Benefits Based on Their Evidences of Medicinal Phytochemicals in Vegetables and Fruits” is the outcome of the editor’s imperative desire to bring the collective information on the health benefits and nutritional values of super foods. Diminutive effects of aging, loss of vision, arthritis, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, cardiovascular functions and diabetic complications, physically and mentally debilitate the affected aged. However, consumption of health foods supports in reducing the complications of some disorders. Health foods are rich sources of antioxidants, vitamins, enzymes and nutrients. Antioxidants shield DNA damage, caused by free radicles generated in the course of metabolism, through the scavenging activity of free radicles. In the series 6 authors focuses on antioxidant effects of phenolics and their biological activities besides known essential proteins, amino acids, fats, lipids, starch and fibers, important as nutritional supplements. The authors have justified in describing various aspects of health benefits in their reviews.

The first chapter narrated the health benefits of Adanosiana digatata (Baobab) native to Madagascar and Africa. The fruit pulp exhibited anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-pyretic activities. Furthermore, the authors described phytochemicals and medicinal applications present in Baobab. The fruits and leaves are rich source of vitamins and minerals. The polyphenols like tannins present in baobab protect in peroxidation and ROS defeating effects.

The second chapter described about vision decline, diabetic retinopathy, chronic oxidative stress, tissue hypoxia, hyperglycemia, inflammation, angiogenesis common among elderly population. Phytochemicals in health foods diminishes the progression of above mentioned complications. The authors enumerated dietary advantages of turmeric, saffron, cloves, ginger, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, dark grapes, green tea etc. The molecular mechanisms of action were also presented in detail.

The third chapter rated the health values of black sesame seeds. Besides, the putative effects of black pigment present in the black sesame seed were disclosed. The pigment diminished the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s diseases.

The forth chapter illustrated how the violet anthocyanin in bilberry fruit protected the skin damage caused by solar UV radiation. The original observations of their clinical studies were described in detail.

The fifth chapter exemplified the health benefits of antioxidant activity associated with polyphenols. The different electrochemical methods used to evaluate the antioxidant activities of these polyphenols were presented. Some of these original observations were disclosed by the authors.

The book answers the question about what to eat to keep one healthy focusing on nutrient rich foods. Furthermore, the book inspires those who want to achieve energy and health through health foods. This book provides innovative approach in the selection of health foods. The book’s true value is its abundant information content making it a good reference for researchers.” – Rao Gollapudi, Ph.D., Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

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“This book is an important contribution to the current knowledge on corn and coconut oil, covering important topics such as use, chemical characteristics, health benefits and antioxidant properties of corn, which are less known by the scientific community and by people around the world. Its aspects are rigorously presented, well-argued and based on relevant literature. The correlation between chemical composition, properties and applications is well-balanced and focused on relevant aspects such as antioxidants, microbiology, technology and health. The book is based on studies carried out by scientists from all over the world and may be very useful to students, PhD students, researchers and teachers.” – Professor Jose Antonio de Saja, University of Valladolid, Spain

This book is a valuable information source about Corn and Coconut Oil, providing a comprehensive and timely overview of the current state of knowledge of the main uses and applications, nutritional properties and health benefits of Corn and Coconut Oil. This book covers the biological, chemical and technical basis of the technology as well as the latest up-to-date research, and production advances. All of this makes this book a must-have read for students, researchers, industry and users alike.” – Professor Jesús Lozano, University of Extremadura, Spain

ˮThis book provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art for scientists and students interested in Corn and Coconut oil. Biological, chemical and technological issues are well addressed and extensively reviewed. Most chapters present interesting general introduction to their particular topic that make the book very useful for researchers dedicated to other oils and plant parts. The book is useful to students, PhD students, researchers and faculty and every library should have a copy.” – Paula C. Castilho, Associate Professor, Chemistry department, Madeira University, Portugal

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“This book presents important and useful insights pertaining to organic food marketing. In a market where both consumer interest in as well as confusion about these products is high, this book provides perspectives and guidance to scholars, practitioners, policy makers, and consumers on how to make more informed decisions and, consequently, enhanced choices about organic foods. This compilation of views weaves together the divergent and sometimes competing themes that exist about these products such as despite consumer beliefs that organic foods are better for them, consumers also dismiss as marketing hype the information on organic food labels. The result of this book’s assembling of organic food marketing viewpoints is an interesting, compelling, and needed synthesis of this divergent topical area.” – Les Carlson and Nathan J. Gold, Distinguished Professorship in Marketing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

“This book offers an expansive primer into the growing and rapidly evolving world of organic food production, marketing and consumption. It presents a cross-cultural, multi-method view of various issues facing the organic food market, including labeling issues, willingness-to-pay and market trends. It offers a broad introduction with valuable practical recommendations that would be of use to students and practitioners alike.” – Lucy Atkinson, Associate Professor, Stan Richards School of Advertising, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas, USA

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“’The Handbook of Food Microbiological Analytical Methods’ is a well written text that will prove of use to individuals in academia, research and industry. It describes clear and unambiguous methodology for conducting a range of techniques in the food microbiology laboratory. It has an easy to follow format that will lend itself to use by students or by others learning about food microbiology. It provides enough theory for the basis of the methods to be understood and also a range of links to resources where further information is available. I feel that the text is an excellent addition to the available literature and should be on the bookshelf of every food microbiologist.” – Professor Gary Dykes, School of Public Health, Curtain University, Western Australia

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“Beef: Production and Management Practices is a book that was missing because it presents relevant themes from authors with great potential. Brazil is the second largest beef producer in the world, and this is a book that presents cattle as a country’s wealth in terms of differentiated products, safe production, traceability, consumer perception, and nutritional aspects. The book also highlights that animal welfare is a necessary aspect. The authors, veterinarians, zootechnicians, food engineers and others are experts in the field of meats, with research at Master and PhD levels, on the most diverse aspects related to quality through management and technological improvements. Therefore, I believe this book will be well received by the academic public and very useful to everyone interested in this important segment of the economic activity in Brazil and worldwide.” – Denise C. Cyrillo, PhD, São Paulo State University (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

“Brazil is a world leader in the meat segment, therefore a very appropriate environment for research in the area. In this sense, this book is a great opportunity to get to know better the segment, such as nutritional components, packaging, use of traceability systems, consumer perception, production practices, among other significant aspects.” – Dimária S. Meirelles, PhD, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

“The book focuses on some important issues regarding the improvement of the cattle production chain aiming at improving control and traceability. It also includes some chapters on important scientific and technological solutions concerning the improvement of safety and quality of meat products, such as salt reduction and the use of natural antimicrobials aiming at preserving the products and avoiding chemical preservatives. The authors are affiliated to excellent international institutions and are recognized experts in the field. The book can certainly provide a new approach approach and inputs aiming at contributing to the innovation and management towards optimizing meat production, processing and commercialization.” – Amauri Rosenthal, PhD, EMBRAPA – Agroindústria de Alimentos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

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“This book presents an outstanding contribution to the scientific research especially in the field of winemaking. In his book, the author presented the most important issues in the field of winemaking. The book contains an excellent selection of the chapters which includes many detailed examples from which is evidently long-standing rich experience of the author. The entire text is written in a beautiful language and in an accessible style which does not leave the reader indifferent. It is an essential literature for teachers and also for students with significant research and study questions supported by extensive resources. It is also excellent communication tool for young people which should be encouraged to continue to search this scientific area.”  – Aleksandra Figurek, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

“The global wine market is characterized by an overproduction since many years. As a consequence, completion between wine companies is getting more and more intense. Thus, a key success factor is efficiency in production and sales. Therefore, is the book “Wine and Winemaking: The Value and Efficiency” authored by Prof. Dr. Anatoliy G. Goncharuk targeting one of the most important topics in the wine business. It reflects up-to-date theories and presents interesting results stimulating a much-needed discussion.” –  Jon H. Hanf, PhD, Professor of International Wine Business, Department of Economics and Market Research, Geisenheim University, Germany

“The book Wine and Winemaking: The Value and Efficiency is important key to show peculiarities and differences of Ukrainian and another wineries to the world wine community. For my opinion, readers have opportunity to know not only the descriptions of the current winemaking business challenges and also the ways for its improvement with international performance about wines. Based on analyzed data in chapters the author concluded that Ukraine has a lot of possibilities to become progressive wine country along with others. In addition, this book can be useful tool for researchers, investors and policymakers to help them in understanding and further investigations related to winemaking processes and developing effective wine industry in general.” – Oksana Tkachenko, PhD, Professor, Department of Wine Technology and Oenology, Odessa National Academy of Food Technologies, Ukraine

“The author of the book, Wine and Winemaking: The Value and Efficiency, Prof. Dr. Anatoliy Goncharuk has described history of winemaking and analyzed current state and trends in technology and marketing of the wine, mainly the efficiency issues. The Book makes comparison between well-developed wine countries like Germany and developing countries like Ukraine. This study is important also for other wine countries with similar situation, for example Georgia. The Author predicts possible development of the processes and shows the opportunities for countries on the way of modernization to reach higher efficiency level.” – David Chichua, PhD, Associated Professor of Oenology, Agricultural University of Georgia, Georgia

“This book is an opening for me and perhaps all wine lovers. Reading this book, I found for myself a lot of useful and informative about the benefits of wine, the wine traditions and culture. The author tried to understand why people drink a wine and how much it meets our expectations. Disclosing the content of the wine value chains, he immerses us in the mystery of creating this divine drink. It is very original the author’s idea to measure the wine value not by money, but by the energy that winemakers and sellers invest in it, and which we consume when we drink wine. This book links the value of wine with the efficiency of its production and is useful for both winemakers and the ordinary wine consumers.” – Giuseppe T. Cirella, PhD, Director, Head of Research, Polo Centre of Sustainability, Italy

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“Professor Marcel Danesi investigates the cultural topic of fast food and offers the reader an engrossing narrative account of the history of food from prehistoric times to the present with a fascinating speculation about its future. Most readers are probably not consciously aware of the multiplicity of social and cultural meanings of food (edibility, utensils, meal times, table manners, etc.). This book provides intriguing answers to the customs associated with food and its preparation, and the rituals associated with its consumption.” – Frank Nuessel, University of Louisville, USA

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“In this important and timely book, Alexander V. Prasolov illustrates how dynamically rich Lotka-Volterra equations offer diverse and economically useful dynamic behavior for a wide range of economic problems. Splitting the theory into linear and non-linear parts, the importance and viability of nonlinear dynamics is illustrated convincingly. Using time-delays with Lotka-Volterra equations, dynamic macroeconomic models, sources of fluctuations in economic activity, capital and manufacturing decision models, models of international trade, models of management and advertising problems as well as the forecasting models are examined with exceptionally outstanding detail and insight. Additionally, the author brings forward unique list of references from Russian academic literature not commonly known in the western academic circles. I highly recommend this book to the scholars and students of economic dynamics and finance to delve into the rich world of the nonlinear apparatus being put forward in this exquisitely crafted scientific jewel.” – Ramo Gençay, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada

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“Developing and emerging economies are rapidly approaching the technological frontier through various structural changes, and huge increases in their energy requirements are foreseeable. In his new book, Professor Hilmarsson is concerned with ways to minimize the likely environmental damage and offers sensible ideas about ways to encourage a large-scale transition to clean energy sources, in particular how best to stimulate investments in geothermal and hydropower projects. He makes a well-informed and convincing case that international financial institutions, including the World Bank Group, in partnership with the private sector, should scale up their efforts and co-ordinate investment in clean energy infrastructures. In spite of alarming reports, the practical response of international financial institutions to the environmental crisis is lukewarm. Hilmarsson makes a valuable contribution by mapping the way ahead.”
– Professor Thráinn Eggertsson, Institute of Economic Studies, University of Iceland and Hertie School of Governance
Berlin, Germany

“In this book Professor Hilmarsson, a World Bank Group insider for 12 years, offers an interesting and well-informed analysis of international financial institutions (IFIs) and how they can help solve one of the world’s greatest problems – the transition to clean energy. Too often IFIs’ efforts are hampered by bureaucratic procedures that make them less effective and their clean energy portfolio in developing and emerging countries still remains small. In addition to funding and risk mitigation instruments, IFIs are particularly well placed to provide policy advice and technical assistance to governments implementing energy sector reform. This book is an important and timely contribution to the debate on clean energy and climate change.” – Professor Dr. Erika Sumilo, Head of the Department of International Economics and Business, University of Latvia

“The utilization of clean energy resources in developing and emerging countries is among key challenges humankind is currently facing. Professor Hilmarsson offers a well-informed analysis on how international financial institutions can contribute more effectively to the transition to clean energy — a critical component for success in the battle against climate change. This book is insightful and the analysis is sound as Professor Hilmarsson draws on his experience from the World Bank for 12 years in three different continents.” – Professor Ligita Šimanskienė, Klaipėda University, Lithuania

“Clean energy investments, including geothermal and hydropower projects, tend to be large, with long repayment periods and often require cooperation between public, private and donor partners in emerging countries. Professor Hilmarsson shows how the funding and risk mitigation products of international financial institutions can be instrumental in mobilizing funds to make clean energy investments both possible and feasible. This is an important topic as vast clean energy sources still remain underutilized in emerging countries during a time of growing energy demand. Professor Hilmarsson also discusses Iceland’s transition to clean energy from which other countries may draw some valuable lessons. This is an important contribution that deserves attention and debate.” – Professor Anatoliy G. Goncharuk, Head of the Department of Business Administration and Corporate Security, International Humanitarian University, Ukraine

“As Professor Hilmarsson highlights in this book, no institution supports cross border investments in a similar way that the World Trade Organization does for cross border trade. This failure traces its roots all the way back to the Bretton Woods conference and is an impediment for clean energy investments, especially in developing and emerging countries, during a time of great need for a transition to clean energy sources. In this book Professor Hilmarsson shows how international financial institutions can more effectively support clean energy investments in a world challenged by climate change. A timely contribution and an enjoyable read.” – Dr. Sujit Kumar, Research Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Assistant Professor, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, India

“In the context of increasing concerns on climate problems, clean energy has been suggested to be safe, environmental-friendly, and energy-efficient. Investment in energy infrastructure will be enormous in the future, especially in emerging market economies including in East Asia. While it is crucial that energy infrastructure be climate friendly and that environmental issues should be well considered, financing such infrastructure remains a challenge. Nonetheless, this new book of Professor Hilmarsson has identified and discussed potential solutions to help support and promote clean energy investment and increase the use of clean energy sources that are available on earth.” – Trung Quang Dinh M.Sc. in International Business and Pd.D. Candidate at Witten/Herdecke University

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“The book consists of eight chapters in which both theoretical and practical studies, which introduce countries as case studies, come into place. In the first part the author, Christina Calvo Porral, deals with a very interesting issue. She analyses the practical effect of crises on marketing strategy. She examines whether crises influence applied marketing methods to any extent at all. The starting point for research is the change of consumer behaviour experienced during the crisis. The author identifies those factors to which consumers respond sensitively (prices, discounts, and brands) through an economic fall-back. The answer to the main question of whether marketing strategies have to be changed is obviously yes.

In the second chapter the author, Eva Kiss, analyses the impact of crises on corporations. The writer of the study emphasizes intervening changes in the Hungarian industrial environment, in the structure of companies and in their economic activity on the one hand, while on the other hand, she analyses crisis management techniques adopted by companies, finally she introduces their aggregate effect on these branches of industry. The basic assumption is that in the Hungarian economy and within the industry, economic decline did not shape a classical V-letter, but it was W-shaped, which is becoming more common in a new age. Therefore deterioration which was experienced by companies was bigger compared to previous fall-backs. The author concludes that those companies which are exposed to the changes of the world economy in a  bigger scale (which are closer to the global economy) were felt almost immediately. She draws attention to the fact that diversification of the Hungarian industry must be strengthened, while the dependency should be weakened, in order to be not so sensitive to similar crises in the future.

The third chapter leads us from economic impact to social consequence of crises. The authors (Katja Rasic, Matjaz Mulej and Vesna Cancer) examine four main questions – the effect of technological research, innovation and knowledge on economic growth and the relationship between economic growth and quality of life. After the normalization of variables, they establish the relation among them with Pearson-correlation analysis, and then, in order to determine the concrete effect, they did regression-analysis. The authors came to the conclusion that technological research, innovation and knowledge influence significantly economic growth and growth has a positive impact on quality of life, at least in the Slovakian case. In point of fact, in order to determine the quality of life, the gross domestic products as an indicator has to be expanded with other variables like environmental components, human factor and health condition which were created by authors.

In Chapter 4, the authors (Melissa Morone, Gabriele Giorgi and Javier Fiz Pérez) approach the effect of crisis from a social side. They examine its consequences and the crisis related attitudes of employers and employees. Writers investigate stress situations caused by economic crisis, and the answers, reactions given to them and their relations to each other. From the side of employees, special emphasis is placed on fear as a negative emotional factor which causes the loss of confidence, frustration, and unquietness and increases the possibility of developing mental problems (authors regard it as hot reaction). Approaching this topic from the other side, however crisis improves the quality of work because employees do not want to lose their workplaces, therefore they attempt to do better quality and more efficient work which is a positive change from the aspect of employers (this is referred to as cold reaction). After the analyzation of 2008’s crisis they determined that hot reactions dominated and the health conditions of employees deteriorated unequivocally which was related to stress.

The fifth chapter approaches the social problems caused by crises from the aspect of psychology. Authors (Marco Innamorati, Maurizio Pompili, David Lester and Bijou Yang) analyse the relationship between suicide and economic crises with the assumption that there is no clear connection between the changes of economic processes and the number of suicides. Although, more studies refer to the dangerous consequences of both economic decline and economic growth.

A similar topic is unfolded on the Spanish example in the sixth chapter. Authors, A. I. Masedo Gutiérrez and B. Moreno-Küstner, examine the effect of economic crises on mental health. Spain struggles with serious economic and social problems because of the crisis which evolved in 2008. Unemployment and decreasing incomes of households put huge pressure on population. In the European Union, examination of poverty is not confined to minimum level of subsistence and to proportion of people who live below the poverty line but the organization determine the number of indulgent with deprivation survey. Based on this, authors established that the ratio of population who is threatened by both deprivation and serious deprivation is increased and the same time the ratio of those people who live under poverty line and minimum level of subsistence as well. The regeneration is almost insignificant. Consequently the mental health of society is continuously deteriorating and the number of antidepressant users is increasing, similarly to the number of drug users. In spite that this statement is regarded as a fact in Spain only few study was written about suggestions in order to eliminate or at least handle the problem. Therefore, authors make proposal about solution in the final part of the chapter.

The authors, Oznur Ozdamar and Eleftherious Giovanis, in the seventh chapter examine two main research questions. On the one part they study the impact of law on Austrian Health Fund, on the other part writhers examine the impact of the 2008’s crisis on the economy of vulnerable countries (like Hungary, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal) and they compare them with such countries which have similar characteristics but were less effected by crisis like the Polish or Czech one. The focus of investigation is on health, living conditions and quality of life. The base of the research is a European questionary which analysed the health conditions, aging and pension situation in European countries between 2004 and 2012. With Differences-in-Differences model they analyse the effect of crisis on mental health and living conditions. Related to the first research question, which examined the law about the Austrian Health Fund, they determined that the Fund provides protection in the maintenance of living conditions and quality of life, furthermore it helps to keep up mental health and improvement on affected areas can be clearly detectable after the law was issued. While in the case of other countries in the course of the analysis of both quality of life and living conditions deterioration could be obviously seen because of the crisis. Through the authors’ research, it has been established that the possibility of better living conditions, healthier life and better quality of life decreased among well-educated people.

In the 8th and last chapter we leave the European framework and we get an insight to Madagascar’s economic process and we get to know with the effect of the crisis on society. Author, Michel Garenne, goes back to 1960s with long-term analyses and investigate the connection among social, demographical, health situation and political, economic crisis. She establishes that before the revolution of 1973 the country was above the African average based on economic indicators but after it was an obvious deterioration. Political crisis resulted decreasing social and demographical indicators. At the same time, the population increased during the analysed period.

The diversity of chapters provides insight into those regions and economic peripheries which does not fit into mainstream literature. The book approaches the effect of crisis on society from a new aspect. I recommend this book to those who are interested in economic crises and their impact on society and would like to get information about the consequences of economic decline in different geographical regions.” – Nedelka Erzsébet – tanársegéd, Soproni Egyetem Lámfalussy Sándor Közgazdaságtudományi Kar

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