Benders'dictionary of nutrition and food technology

energy, high-protein, low-sodium diet, together with diureticdrugs and fluid restriction.ascorbic acid vitamin c, chemically l-xyloascorbic acid, to distinguishit from the isomer d-araboascorbic acid (isoascorbic acidor erythorbic acid), which has only slight vitamin C activity. Bothascorbic acid and erythorbic acid have strong chemical reducingproperties, and are used as antioxidants in foods and to preservethe red colour of fresh and preserved meats, and in thecuring of hams.39ASCORBIC ACID AND DEHYDROASCORBATEascorbic acid, monodehydro Or semidehydro, a free radicalwhich is the intermediate stage in the oxidation of ascorbic acidto dehydroascorbic acid; it has a relatively long half-life comparedwith other radicals, and can undergo enzymic or nonenzymicreaction to yield ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbicacid.ascorbic acid oxidase An enzyme (EC 1.10.3.3) in plant tissuesthat oxidises ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid. In the intactfresh plant the enzyme is separated from the ascorbic acid, andis only released when the plant wilts or is cut; in addition to theloss of vitamin C, this is important in browning reactions.ascorbyl palmitate An ester of ascorbic acid and palmitic acidused as an antistaling compound in bakery goods (E-304).ascorbyl stearate An ester of ascorbic acid and stearic acid; afat-soluble form of the vitamin used as an antioxidant.aseptic processing Heat sterilisation of foods before filling intopre-sterilised (aseptic) containers.See also canning.ash The residue left behind after all organic matter has beenburnt off, a measure of the total content of mineral salts in a food.ASN American Society for Nutrition; web site http://www.asnutrition.org/.ASO Association for the Study of Obesity; web sitehttp://www.aso.org.uk/.