Minerals

Abstract

Among the 92 natural chemical elements identified to present, 81 of them have been found in human body and 25 elements are found to be essential to life, which are termed essential minerals. Essential minerals are widely involved in metabolisms in human body as cofactors or activators of enzymes and some play important role in maintaining osmotic pressure and cell membrane integrity. Besides, some minerals are important constituents of human tissues, such as calcium and phosphorus in bone and teeth. This chapter concerns the classification, distribution, property, and function of minerals and their occurrence in foods. Besides, the changes of minerals in foods during harvesting, processing, and storage are also highlighted in this chapter. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.