Book Review: The genus Linum

The authors bring together the research material related to the genus Linum usitatissimum, from history and basic science to current market trends and regulatory status. After a brief introductory chapter describing the history of the cultivation and uses of flaxseed, the book gives an in-depth look of the genus Linum ranging from the production to diseases, valuable components, use in human nutrition as well as animal diets, market trends and the legislative status of flaxseed and relating commercial products. Chapters 1 and 13 focus on the history of the traditional food and medicinal uses of flaxseed and provide a very comprehensive overview of the diverse applications humans have found for this crop. Chapter 2 presents a detailed analysis of the taxonomy and genetic resources of species belonging to the genus Linum. Chapter 3 goes into the particulars of the chemical constituents occurring in Linum species. It is mentioned that most knowledge is based on studies of L. usitatissimum as the common oilseed and fiber flax species. In this context, the fatty acid profiles found in various Linum species are presented. Furthermore, the authors report the composition of amino acids as well as the cyclolinopeptides isolated from flaxseed meal. Finally, the chapter focus on other phytochemicals, such as cyanogenic glycosides, lignans, phenolic acids, isoprenoids and flavonoids. In Chapter 4, the main growing areas for flax (both fiber and oilseed) are documented. Furthermore, the individual agronomic practices used in each region are described here. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss the major diseases affecting flax worldwide with special regard to the North American flax crops in western Canada and the north-central United States. It is mentioned here that rust and fusarium wilt are the most important and widespread diseases from Europe to America and China. Therefore, breeding for resistance to these plant diseases became the main objective for all major flax-breeding programs in America, Europe and Asia. It is also reported that major insect pests of flax and its close relatives are caused by potato aphids, cutworms, flea beetles, flax thrips and linseed midges. In Chapter 6, biology, diagnostic methods and control methods for each of the major insect pests are listed above; it also provides a brief description of several minor insects feeding on flax. Chapters 7–14 demonstrate numerous applications of flax products ranging from -linolenic acid isolated from flaxseed over lignans, which play an important role in preventing hormone-dependent and independent cancer. In this context, several results obtained from animal studies as well as in vitro studies are mentioned. One chapter is also specially related to the mammalian metabolic pathway of flax lignans. Chapter 15 describes the extent and changing pattern of flaxseed and its oil over the past decade. Furthermore, the major players involved in that trade are mentioned. The last chapter provides a review of the current regulatory status of flaxseed and products derived from flaxseed and gives an overview of most important patents related to flaxseed. This book is an excellent resource for any biologists, chemists or nutrionists especially involved in this field of research; but it can be also recommended to graduate students of agricultural sciences. It gives the reader a comprehensive overview of the present knowledge of the genus Linum, both from the perspective of production as well as its main uses. Each chapter contains citations of the most important literature on the individual topic which supplies the reader the opportunity to get rapidly a detailed insight to their special field of interest. Missing, however, is a chapter specially relating to aspects of quality control includingmodernmethods applied to evaluate quality parameters of flaxseed, flax oil as well as individual flax constituents.