The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization

The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization

Author: B. G. D. Bartley

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 9781845930240

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The cacao (Theobroma cacao) plant is an important Neo-Tropical species whose natural habitat is the Amazon basin. Over the last 30 years there has been a considerable geographical expansion in the availability of cacao genetic resources. As a result the plant has a rich genetic diversity that exists at two levels: that of the primitive populations in the area of original distribution of the species, and that of the derived cultivated populations. This book provides a comprehensive review of our current knowledge of the diversity of the species. It starts by examining the diversity and inheritance of the characteristics of primitive populations in the Amazonian and Caribbean regions. It then looks at the evolution of diversity within cultivated populations first in South America and around the Caribbean, and then beyond the Americas. The book describes the inter-relationships between populations based on morphological and molecular markers. It also examines the conservation of genetic resources and how these genetic resources can be utilized to produce new cultivars.


Book Synopsis The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization by : B. G. D. Bartley

Download or read book The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization written by B. G. D. Bartley and published by CABI. This book was released on 2005 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cacao (Theobroma cacao) plant is an important Neo-Tropical species whose natural habitat is the Amazon basin. Over the last 30 years there has been a considerable geographical expansion in the availability of cacao genetic resources. As a result the plant has a rich genetic diversity that exists at two levels: that of the primitive populations in the area of original distribution of the species, and that of the derived cultivated populations. This book provides a comprehensive review of our current knowledge of the diversity of the species. It starts by examining the diversity and inheritance of the characteristics of primitive populations in the Amazonian and Caribbean regions. It then looks at the evolution of diversity within cultivated populations first in South America and around the Caribbean, and then beyond the Americas. The book describes the inter-relationships between populations based on morphological and molecular markers. It also examines the conservation of genetic resources and how these genetic resources can be utilized to produce new cultivars.


The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization

The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization

Author: Basil G. D. Bartley

Publisher: CABI Publishing

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 341

ISBN-13: 9780851996196

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The Background to the Subject: Concepts and a Brieí History; The Terminology Specific to Cacao; The Indicators oí Variability; The Manifestation oí the Diversity and its Conservation; The Foundations oí the Diversity; The Amazonian Region; The Circum-Caribbean Region; The Cultivated Populations as Secondary Depositories oí the Diversity; South America - Populations Derived from an Amazonian Region Germplasm Base; The Circum-Caribbean Region and Neighbouring Territories - Populations that Evolved from a Criollo Germplasm Base; Cacao Beyond the Americas - the Export oí Diversity to the Old World; The Genetics oí the Diversity; The Relationships among Populations; The Utilization of the Genetic Resources.


Book Synopsis The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization by : Basil G. D. Bartley

Download or read book The Genetic Diversity of Cacao and Its Utilization written by Basil G. D. Bartley and published by CABI Publishing. This book was released on 2005 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Background to the Subject: Concepts and a Brieí History; The Terminology Specific to Cacao; The Indicators oí Variability; The Manifestation oí the Diversity and its Conservation; The Foundations oí the Diversity; The Amazonian Region; The Circum-Caribbean Region; The Cultivated Populations as Secondary Depositories oí the Diversity; South America - Populations Derived from an Amazonian Region Germplasm Base; The Circum-Caribbean Region and Neighbouring Territories - Populations that Evolved from a Criollo Germplasm Base; Cacao Beyond the Americas - the Export oí Diversity to the Old World; The Genetics oí the Diversity; The Relationships among Populations; The Utilization of the Genetic Resources.


Genetic Diversity of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Populations and Agronomic Traits for Breeding

Genetic Diversity of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Populations and Agronomic Traits for Breeding

Author: Helmuth Edisson Nieves Orduña

Publisher:

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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The tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao L., is cultivated to produce seeds, the unique raw material for the chocolate industry. Thus, conservation and use of cacao genetic resources in breeding programs are vital for the cacao-chocolate global economy. Wild cacao populations have a wide geographic distribution in their native range along the Amazon basin, but northwestern Amazonia is the hotspot of cacao genetic diversity. From the rich diversity of cacao (at least twelve genetic clusters are identified) the domestication of cacao in South America led to the development of Criollo, whose s...


Book Synopsis Genetic Diversity of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Populations and Agronomic Traits for Breeding by : Helmuth Edisson Nieves Orduña

Download or read book Genetic Diversity of Cacao (Theobroma Cacao L.) Populations and Agronomic Traits for Breeding written by Helmuth Edisson Nieves Orduña and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao L., is cultivated to produce seeds, the unique raw material for the chocolate industry. Thus, conservation and use of cacao genetic resources in breeding programs are vital for the cacao-chocolate global economy. Wild cacao populations have a wide geographic distribution in their native range along the Amazon basin, but northwestern Amazonia is the hotspot of cacao genetic diversity. From the rich diversity of cacao (at least twelve genetic clusters are identified) the domestication of cacao in South America led to the development of Criollo, whose s...


Genetic Diversity in Plants

Genetic Diversity in Plants

Author: Mahmut Caliskan

Publisher: IntechOpen

Published: 2012-03-14

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 9789535101857

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Genetic diversity is of fundamental importance in the continuity of a species as it provides the necessary adaptation to the prevailing biotic and abiotic environmental conditions, and enables change in the genetic composition to cope with changes in the environment. Genetic Diversity in Plants presents chapters revealing the magnitude of genetic variation existing in plant populations. The increasing availability of PCR-based molecular markers allows the detailed analyses and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants and also, the detection of genes influencing economically important traits. The purpose of the book is to provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic variation by presenting the thoughts of scientists who are engaged in the generation of new ideas and techniques employed for the assessment of genetic diversity, often from very different perspectives. The book should prove useful to students, researchers, and experts in the area of conservation biology, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.


Book Synopsis Genetic Diversity in Plants by : Mahmut Caliskan

Download or read book Genetic Diversity in Plants written by Mahmut Caliskan and published by IntechOpen. This book was released on 2012-03-14 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Genetic diversity is of fundamental importance in the continuity of a species as it provides the necessary adaptation to the prevailing biotic and abiotic environmental conditions, and enables change in the genetic composition to cope with changes in the environment. Genetic Diversity in Plants presents chapters revealing the magnitude of genetic variation existing in plant populations. The increasing availability of PCR-based molecular markers allows the detailed analyses and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants and also, the detection of genes influencing economically important traits. The purpose of the book is to provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic variation by presenting the thoughts of scientists who are engaged in the generation of new ideas and techniques employed for the assessment of genetic diversity, often from very different perspectives. The book should prove useful to students, researchers, and experts in the area of conservation biology, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.


Evolutionary and Functional Genetics of Disease Resistance in Theobroma Cacao and Its Wild Relatives

Evolutionary and Functional Genetics of Disease Resistance in Theobroma Cacao and Its Wild Relatives

Author: Noah Winters

Publisher:

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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Plants have complex and dynamic immune systems that have evolved over millennia to help them resist pathogen invasion. Humans have worked to incorporate these evolved defenses into crops through breeding. However, many crop cultivars only harness a fraction of the overall genetic diversity available to a given species, or have such a long history of domestication that most diversity has been lost. Evaluating previously neglected germplasm for desirable traits, such as disease resistance, is therefore an essential step towards breeding crops that are adapted to both current and emerging threats. In this dissertation, we examine the evolution of defense response across populations of Theobroma cacao L. and wild species of Theobroma, with the goal of identifying genetic elements essential for protection against the cacao pathogen Phytophthora palmivora. In Chapter 2, we combine data from RNA-sequencing, un-targeted metabolomics, and whole genome sequencing to discover genes and pathways associated with resistance. We found significant differences in transcriptional response across populations, indicating lineage-specific defenses. Among the processes shared across populations, however, was phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, a metabolic pathway with well-documented roles in plant defense. One of the genes in this pathway, caffeoyl-shikimate esterase (CSE), was up-regulated in response to pathogen challenge across all four populations, indicating its broad importance for cacao's defense response. Further experimental evidence suggested this gene synthesizes the antimicrobial compound caffeic acid, a known inhibitor of Phytophthora species. Together, our results indicate most of the expression variation associated with resistance is unique to populations. Moreover, they suggest using a small subset of clones to determine the basis of resistance to P. palmivora, as has been done in breeding programs for over five decades, provides limited power for discovering potentially useful genetic variation. Natural variation in resistance to P. palmivora is well documented across cacao lineages, but little is known about resistance in its wild, non-cacao relatives. In Chapter 3, we use non-cacao Theobroma species to investigate the evolution of defense response across the genus. We discovered both lineage-specific and conserved aspects of defense response, including upregulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Of particular interest were TcBBE8 and TcWRKY29, a pair of genes that were upregulated in response to pathogen challenge across five species of Theobroma and displayed evidence of positive selection. These results suggest some aspects of defense against P. palmivora are orthologous and, therefore, of fundamental important to defense across Theobroma. Nucleotide-binding leucine rich repeats receptors (NLR) are essential components of plant immunity. NLR evolution is complex and dynamic, full of rapid expansions, contractions, and polymorphism. The hundreds of high-quality plant genomes generated over the last two decades have provided substantial insight into the evolutionary dynamics of NLR genes. Despite steadily decreasing sequencing costs, the difficulty of sequencing, assembling, and annotating high-quality genomes has resulted in comparatively little genome-wide information on intraspecies NLR diversity. In Chapter 4, we investigate the evolution of NLR genes across 11 high quality genomes of cacao. We found 3-fold variation in NLR copy number across genotypes, a pattern primarily driven by the expansion of NLR clusters by tandem and proximal duplication. Together, our results suggest local duplications can radically reshape gene families over short evolutionary time scales, creating a source of NLR diversity that could be utilized to enrich our understanding of both plant-pathogen interactions and resistance breeding. This dissertation helps advance genomic research and resistance breeding in cacao in two significant ways. First, it identifies both conserved and lineage-specific aspects of Theobroma's defense against P. palmivora, indicating the potential value of wild germplasm to breeding programs. In doing so, it also identifies several high priority candidate genes for further functional characterization. Second, it classifies and analyzes immune receptor complement across a diverse set of cacao accessions, generating new knowledge about intraspecific evolution of large gene families and creating a resource for future NLR experimentation.


Book Synopsis Evolutionary and Functional Genetics of Disease Resistance in Theobroma Cacao and Its Wild Relatives by : Noah Winters

Download or read book Evolutionary and Functional Genetics of Disease Resistance in Theobroma Cacao and Its Wild Relatives written by Noah Winters and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plants have complex and dynamic immune systems that have evolved over millennia to help them resist pathogen invasion. Humans have worked to incorporate these evolved defenses into crops through breeding. However, many crop cultivars only harness a fraction of the overall genetic diversity available to a given species, or have such a long history of domestication that most diversity has been lost. Evaluating previously neglected germplasm for desirable traits, such as disease resistance, is therefore an essential step towards breeding crops that are adapted to both current and emerging threats. In this dissertation, we examine the evolution of defense response across populations of Theobroma cacao L. and wild species of Theobroma, with the goal of identifying genetic elements essential for protection against the cacao pathogen Phytophthora palmivora. In Chapter 2, we combine data from RNA-sequencing, un-targeted metabolomics, and whole genome sequencing to discover genes and pathways associated with resistance. We found significant differences in transcriptional response across populations, indicating lineage-specific defenses. Among the processes shared across populations, however, was phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, a metabolic pathway with well-documented roles in plant defense. One of the genes in this pathway, caffeoyl-shikimate esterase (CSE), was up-regulated in response to pathogen challenge across all four populations, indicating its broad importance for cacao's defense response. Further experimental evidence suggested this gene synthesizes the antimicrobial compound caffeic acid, a known inhibitor of Phytophthora species. Together, our results indicate most of the expression variation associated with resistance is unique to populations. Moreover, they suggest using a small subset of clones to determine the basis of resistance to P. palmivora, as has been done in breeding programs for over five decades, provides limited power for discovering potentially useful genetic variation. Natural variation in resistance to P. palmivora is well documented across cacao lineages, but little is known about resistance in its wild, non-cacao relatives. In Chapter 3, we use non-cacao Theobroma species to investigate the evolution of defense response across the genus. We discovered both lineage-specific and conserved aspects of defense response, including upregulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Of particular interest were TcBBE8 and TcWRKY29, a pair of genes that were upregulated in response to pathogen challenge across five species of Theobroma and displayed evidence of positive selection. These results suggest some aspects of defense against P. palmivora are orthologous and, therefore, of fundamental important to defense across Theobroma. Nucleotide-binding leucine rich repeats receptors (NLR) are essential components of plant immunity. NLR evolution is complex and dynamic, full of rapid expansions, contractions, and polymorphism. The hundreds of high-quality plant genomes generated over the last two decades have provided substantial insight into the evolutionary dynamics of NLR genes. Despite steadily decreasing sequencing costs, the difficulty of sequencing, assembling, and annotating high-quality genomes has resulted in comparatively little genome-wide information on intraspecies NLR diversity. In Chapter 4, we investigate the evolution of NLR genes across 11 high quality genomes of cacao. We found 3-fold variation in NLR copy number across genotypes, a pattern primarily driven by the expansion of NLR clusters by tandem and proximal duplication. Together, our results suggest local duplications can radically reshape gene families over short evolutionary time scales, creating a source of NLR diversity that could be utilized to enrich our understanding of both plant-pathogen interactions and resistance breeding. This dissertation helps advance genomic research and resistance breeding in cacao in two significant ways. First, it identifies both conserved and lineage-specific aspects of Theobroma's defense against P. palmivora, indicating the potential value of wild germplasm to breeding programs. In doing so, it also identifies several high priority candidate genes for further functional characterization. Second, it classifies and analyzes immune receptor complement across a diverse set of cacao accessions, generating new knowledge about intraspecific evolution of large gene families and creating a resource for future NLR experimentation.


Genetic Diversity in Plants

Genetic Diversity in Plants

Author: Mahmut Caliskan

Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand

Published: 2012-03-14

Total Pages: 514

ISBN-13: 9535101854

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Genetic diversity is of fundamental importance in the continuity of a species as it provides the necessary adaptation to the prevailing biotic and abiotic environmental conditions, and enables change in the genetic composition to cope with changes in the environment. Genetic Diversity in Plants presents chapters revealing the magnitude of genetic variation existing in plant populations. The increasing availability of PCR-based molecular markers allows the detailed analyses and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants and also, the detection of genes influencing economically important traits. The purpose of the book is to provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic variation by presenting the thoughts of scientists who are engaged in the generation of new ideas and techniques employed for the assessment of genetic diversity, often from very different perspectives. The book should prove useful to students, researchers, and experts in the area of conservation biology, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.


Book Synopsis Genetic Diversity in Plants by : Mahmut Caliskan

Download or read book Genetic Diversity in Plants written by Mahmut Caliskan and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2012-03-14 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Genetic diversity is of fundamental importance in the continuity of a species as it provides the necessary adaptation to the prevailing biotic and abiotic environmental conditions, and enables change in the genetic composition to cope with changes in the environment. Genetic Diversity in Plants presents chapters revealing the magnitude of genetic variation existing in plant populations. The increasing availability of PCR-based molecular markers allows the detailed analyses and evaluation of genetic diversity in plants and also, the detection of genes influencing economically important traits. The purpose of the book is to provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic variation by presenting the thoughts of scientists who are engaged in the generation of new ideas and techniques employed for the assessment of genetic diversity, often from very different perspectives. The book should prove useful to students, researchers, and experts in the area of conservation biology, genetic diversity, and molecular biology.


Cacao Diseases

Cacao Diseases

Author: Bryan A. Bailey

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-02-22

Total Pages: 630

ISBN-13: 3319247891

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This book reviews the current state of knowledge concerning cacao pathogens and methods for their management. Topics discussed include the history, biology and genetic diversity of Moniliophthora species (which cause witches’ broom and frosty pod rot) and Phytophthora species (which cause black pod rot) that cause diseases resulting in major losses to cacao production. Emerging pathogens such as Cacao swollen shoot virus and Ceratobasidium theobromae (which causes vascular streak dieback) are also discussed in detail, along with many pathogens of significant local concern. Most of these pathogens represent major risks to global cacao production should they expand into new areas, breaking out of their current limited distributions. By considering cacao diseases as a group, similarities in the available tools and techniques used in their management become apparent, as do their limitations. Gaps in our current knowledge of cacao pathogens and the management of the diseases they cause are detailed, and suggestions for future research directions are provided. This insight allows readers to consider cacao disease threats from a more comprehensive, global perspective and paves the way for an improved synergy of efforts between the various research programs, agencies, and industries, both private and public, with vested interests in cacao production, and cacao farmers.


Book Synopsis Cacao Diseases by : Bryan A. Bailey

Download or read book Cacao Diseases written by Bryan A. Bailey and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-02-22 with total page 630 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reviews the current state of knowledge concerning cacao pathogens and methods for their management. Topics discussed include the history, biology and genetic diversity of Moniliophthora species (which cause witches’ broom and frosty pod rot) and Phytophthora species (which cause black pod rot) that cause diseases resulting in major losses to cacao production. Emerging pathogens such as Cacao swollen shoot virus and Ceratobasidium theobromae (which causes vascular streak dieback) are also discussed in detail, along with many pathogens of significant local concern. Most of these pathogens represent major risks to global cacao production should they expand into new areas, breaking out of their current limited distributions. By considering cacao diseases as a group, similarities in the available tools and techniques used in their management become apparent, as do their limitations. Gaps in our current knowledge of cacao pathogens and the management of the diseases they cause are detailed, and suggestions for future research directions are provided. This insight allows readers to consider cacao disease threats from a more comprehensive, global perspective and paves the way for an improved synergy of efforts between the various research programs, agencies, and industries, both private and public, with vested interests in cacao production, and cacao farmers.


Cacao and Its Allies

Cacao and Its Allies

Author: José Cuatrecasas

Publisher:

Published: 1964

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis Cacao and Its Allies by : José Cuatrecasas

Download or read book Cacao and Its Allies written by José Cuatrecasas and published by . This book was released on 1964 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


Cash Crops

Cash Crops

Author: P.M. Priyadarshan

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-10-18

Total Pages: 620

ISBN-13: 3030749266

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Cash crops are grown and sold for monetary gain and not necessarily for sustenance. They include coffee, tea, coconut, cotton, jute, groundnut, castor, linseed, cocoa, rubber, cassava, soybean, sweet potato, potato, wheat, corn and teff. While some of these crops have been improved for realizing yield potential, breeding of many of them is still in infancy. Crops that underwent rigorous breeding have eventually lost much of the diversity due to extensive cultivation with a few improved varieties and the diversity in less bred species is to be conserved. Over the past years, scholars and policy makers have become increasingly aware of the short and long-run impact of climatic factors on economic, food security, social and political outcomes . Genetic diversity, natural and induced, is much needed for the future generations to sustain food production with more climate resilient crops. In contrast, crop uniformity produced across the farm fields in the form of improved varieties is genetically vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, it is essential and challenging to address the issue of compromising between maximizing crop yield under a given set of conditions and minimizing the risk of crop failure when conditions change. Cash crops are grown in an array of climatic conditions. Many of the world’s poor still live in rural areas. Many are subsistence farmers, operating very small farms using very little agricultural inputs for achieving marketable outputs. Conserving the diversity of these crops and addressing all issues of crop culture through modern tools of biotechnology and genomics is a real challenge. We believe the focus of this book is to fill an unmet need of this and other grower communities by providing the necessary knowledge, albeit indirectly via the academics, to manage the risks of cash crops breeding through managing genetic diversity.


Book Synopsis Cash Crops by : P.M. Priyadarshan

Download or read book Cash Crops written by P.M. Priyadarshan and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-10-18 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cash crops are grown and sold for monetary gain and not necessarily for sustenance. They include coffee, tea, coconut, cotton, jute, groundnut, castor, linseed, cocoa, rubber, cassava, soybean, sweet potato, potato, wheat, corn and teff. While some of these crops have been improved for realizing yield potential, breeding of many of them is still in infancy. Crops that underwent rigorous breeding have eventually lost much of the diversity due to extensive cultivation with a few improved varieties and the diversity in less bred species is to be conserved. Over the past years, scholars and policy makers have become increasingly aware of the short and long-run impact of climatic factors on economic, food security, social and political outcomes . Genetic diversity, natural and induced, is much needed for the future generations to sustain food production with more climate resilient crops. In contrast, crop uniformity produced across the farm fields in the form of improved varieties is genetically vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. Thus, it is essential and challenging to address the issue of compromising between maximizing crop yield under a given set of conditions and minimizing the risk of crop failure when conditions change. Cash crops are grown in an array of climatic conditions. Many of the world’s poor still live in rural areas. Many are subsistence farmers, operating very small farms using very little agricultural inputs for achieving marketable outputs. Conserving the diversity of these crops and addressing all issues of crop culture through modern tools of biotechnology and genomics is a real challenge. We believe the focus of this book is to fill an unmet need of this and other grower communities by providing the necessary knowledge, albeit indirectly via the academics, to manage the risks of cash crops breeding through managing genetic diversity.


Chocolate and Health

Chocolate and Health

Author: Philip K. Wilson

Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry

Published: 2015-05-18

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 1849739129

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Following on from their previous volume on Chocolate as Medicine, Philip K. Wilson and W. Jeffrey Hurst edit this companion volume, Chocolate and Health, providing a comprehensive overview of the chemistry, nutrition and bioavailability of cacao and chocolate. The book begins with a brief historical introduction to the topic, outlining the current and historical medical uses of chocolate and chocolate derivatives. The remainder of the text is arranged into three sections, taking the reader through various aspects of the nutritional and health aspects of cacoa. The first section covers the cultivation, chemistry and genome analysis of cacao. The second section discusses the biochemistry and nutritional components of cacao in relation to health, covering bioavailabilty and the metabolism and metabolomics of cacao. The final section provides an overview of the potential use of chocolate in health and medical care. Each section is written and prepared by experts within each field, providing a global perspective of the current and ongoing research in this area. This text provides the reader with a complete overview of the field and is of interest to food and biomedical scientists, as well as nutritionists, medicinal chemists and anyone with an interest in chocolate.


Book Synopsis Chocolate and Health by : Philip K. Wilson

Download or read book Chocolate and Health written by Philip K. Wilson and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2015-05-18 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following on from their previous volume on Chocolate as Medicine, Philip K. Wilson and W. Jeffrey Hurst edit this companion volume, Chocolate and Health, providing a comprehensive overview of the chemistry, nutrition and bioavailability of cacao and chocolate. The book begins with a brief historical introduction to the topic, outlining the current and historical medical uses of chocolate and chocolate derivatives. The remainder of the text is arranged into three sections, taking the reader through various aspects of the nutritional and health aspects of cacoa. The first section covers the cultivation, chemistry and genome analysis of cacao. The second section discusses the biochemistry and nutritional components of cacao in relation to health, covering bioavailabilty and the metabolism and metabolomics of cacao. The final section provides an overview of the potential use of chocolate in health and medical care. Each section is written and prepared by experts within each field, providing a global perspective of the current and ongoing research in this area. This text provides the reader with a complete overview of the field and is of interest to food and biomedical scientists, as well as nutritionists, medicinal chemists and anyone with an interest in chocolate.