Since 1984 this book, now in its 7th edition and thoroughly updated, has introduced the crucial interface between our diet and the essentially chemical nature of what we eat and drink. The contributions of the various classes of natural food components, as well as additives and contaminants, to the nutritional value of foods are considered. These include the nutrients required in large amounts like carbohydrates, proteins, fat, minerals and water as well as the less bulky nutrients such as vitamins, flavours, colours and preservatives. Undesirable food components, including allergens, pesticide residues and toxins are also dealt with. Not just the nature of food components are described, but also how they behave in storage, processing and cooking and accompanying changes in a food’s nutritional value. The book features a ‘Special Topics’ section at the end of each chapter for specialist readers and advanced students, comprehensive listings of up-to-date review articles and recommended books for further reading, an exhaustive index and the structural formulae of over 500 food components. Frequent reference is also made to wider food and health issues, e.g. lactose intolerance, polyunsaturated fatty acids, wheat and gluten evolution, salt and hypertension, flavonoids in tea and fruit, and the increasing replacement of artificial with natural food colours.