Because of the extent to which the food industry currently handles food, it can­not avoid in some way altering the nutri­tive values of the food. These proceed­ings on vitamins were intended to inform those in the food industry on current aspects of vitamins in relation to food and nutrition.

The first section is a brief survey on the modes of actions of the vitamins, limited to about a page on each vitamin. The next two sections are discussions of the deficiency states in the elderly and the fate of vitamins in food processing and catering. These sections present de­tails only in those areas of importance to public health nutrition in Britain. The fourth section is an interesting discussion of the uses of vitamins C and E in foods as non-nutritive additives. The final sec­tions present concise survey methods of assay and quantitation of the vitamins.

As a survey of the many aspects of vitamins which still rate more attention by those involved with the food industry, this book is quite adequate. However, it does lack sufficient detail to be Hsed as a nutrition source. Furthermore, many areas of important nutritional concern appear to be played down by statements such as "only vitamins C and B-1 are destroyed in significant amounts" during food processing, or deficiency of B vita­mins "'is rare but can occur."

Because of the focus on many aspects of food and nutrition in Britain, this book is probably mostly of interest to people concerned with food processing and nutrition in Britain.

John Kroes, Research Fellow in Nu­trition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass.

Cooking with Understanding, Nichols, H. L., North Castle Books, 212 Bed­ford Rd., Greenwich, CT06830, 1971, 926 p., $12.50

Perhaps bored high school girls would find science tolerable if it were used to explain cooking. In any event, there is surely a need to put the "whys" of cook­ing into readable form to satisfy the cu­riosity of the intelligent cook. Nichols' background as an engineer qualifies him to explain certain physical aspects of cooking. In Cooking with Understand­ing, he does this and also makes a mas­sive effort to meet the needs of the be­ginning cook.

This lengthy book is divided into "Methods;" "Basic Foods," with an oc­casional recipe; "Combined Foods," with most of the recipes; "Preservation and Nutrition;" and "The Kitchen," includ­ing equipment. It has a bibliography, de-

SUMMER, 1972

tailed index, glossary, and appendices on spices and can sizes.

There are some welcome explanations such as that of air lock as a cause of gurgling and splashing of liquids during pouring, of the checking of thermome­ters for accuracy, etc. This information does not usually appear in basic cook­books. More concise organization of this material would make it easier to use. Nichols has included an abundance of detailed instructions for coping with va­rious vexing but commonsense problems; this diminishes the value of the book.

On the subjects of foods, cooking, and nutrition, Nichols is sometimes contra­dictory or incomplete on minor points. He might have enlarged on the aspects of cooking for which he is especially qualified, and limited the others. How­ever, it is a good reference book.

Helen Black, Home Economist, Con­sumers Cooperative of Berkeley, Calif.

The State of Nutrition in the Arab Middle East, Patwardhan, V. N. and Darby, W. J., Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, TN 37203, 1972, 308 p., $15.00.

This book brings together material on nutrition research in the Arab Middle East, much of which has not hitherto been generally available outside the re­Q'ion. The countries covered are Libya, EQ)'pt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq.

The emphasis is on Egypt, because the authors' own research experiences have been more extensive in that country. However, their knowledgeability of the region and thorough familiarity with the nutrition research that has been done there are evident throughout. Lacking in­formation on a particular subject for any of the countries is an indication of the need for further studies.

This region is partly Mediterranean, largely desert. There are many problems of producing foods there. The diet is quite similar throughout the area with wheat, mainly imported, the preferred staple. Food choices and food habits, cooking practices, and meal patterns are de­scribed. There are chapters on infant feeding, growth and development of chil­dren, and nutritional status-dietary and clinical-of the populations at large. Also considered in separate chapters are the nutrition-oriented diseases: pellagra (which is here confined to Egypt); ane­mias; endemic goiter; xerophthalmia, rickets and scurvy; the zinc-deficiency syndrome; and protein-calorie deficiency and its treatment. The book closes with a chapter on preventiDn, which acknowl­edges the problems Df malnutrition of

the regiDn as abundantly outlined in pre­ceding chapters and makes a number of practical recommendatiDns for their so­lutiDn, not all Df which can be imme­diately attained.

Data discussed in the text are well illustrated with tables and graphs. In many instances, results of several studies have been presented together fDr CDm­parative purposes.

This wDrk is an admirable synthesis of the knDwn studies on nutrition in this regiDn. It has succeeded in its aVDwed attempt to. relate these findings to gen­eral nutritiDn knDwledge and may well serve as an example fDr other case studies of the nutritiDn Df a region.

Christine S. Wilson, Research Asso­ciate, Department of International Health, University of California, San Francisco.

Building Blocks of Life - Proteins, Vitamins, and Hormones Seen Through the Microscope, Vishniac, R., Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY, 1971,63 p., $6.95.

This shDrt bDok cDntains beautiful full­pagecoior enlargements Df 32 pure (usu­ally crystalline) proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and hormones. The authDr, a biDlogist and distinguished artist and photographer, purposely shows these comPDunds in artistic rather than na­tural forms.

A very ·brief text gives a short, inter­esting history of the several substances. However, this is clearly not a nutrition or biDlogy text but a book of art and would be especially of value to phDtDg­

raphers interested in the natural sciences. Nutrition educatDrs who. cDuld affDrd

to buy the bDDk and who like abstract painting wDuld enjDY having the bDDk. One could make gODd use of it when talking to small grDups by shDwing the enlarged phDtDgraphs Df natural sub­stances in fDDd and in Dur bodies, thDugh actual colDr enlargements of these sub­stances-in less fascinating ·coIDr-are generally available from chemical CDm­

panies or in free handDuts. G.M.B.

Elementary 15econdary Concept 10: Food Selection and Eat.

ing Patterns are Determined by Physical, Social, Mental, Economic, and Cultural Factors, SChODI Health EducatiDn Study, 3M EducatiDn Press, St. Paul, MN 55101, 1972. Teaching­Learning Guides: Level 1,88 p., $3.00; Level II, 88 p., $3.00; Level III, 76 p., $3.00; Level IV, 96 p., $3.00; Teach­er-Student Resources, 102 p., included with Teaching-Learning Guide.

Journal of NUTRITION EDUCATION I 121