astaxanthin 16
astaxanthin noun the pink colouring in a small shrimp-like creature that gives the pink
colour to the flesh of salmon (NOTE: Now fed to farmed salmon, which are generally
pinker than wild salmon.)
astragalus noun a plant extract said to boost the body’s immune system
astringency noun the ability of some foods to make the mouth feel dry and tight
ate -ate suffix a chemical compound derived from a particular element or compound
atheroma noun a fatty deposit that causes atherosclerosis
atherosclerosis noun a condition in which deposits of fats and minerals form on the
walls of an artery, especially the aorta or one of the coronary or cerebral arteries, and prevent
blood from flowing easily
athrepsy noun malnourishment
diet Atkins diet noun a plan to help people lose weight that suggests that they should eat a lot
of protein and fat but little carbohydrate
atmit noun an enriched porridge that is highly nutritious, distributed by humanitarian agencies
during times of famine
steamer atmospheric steamer noun a device used for cooking foods in steam at atmospheric
pressure, making use of the fact that condensation of steam on the surface of the food or its
container gives a very high rate of heat transfer
atom noun a fundamental unit of a chemical element and the smallest part of an element
that can exist independently
non-functioning colon atonic non-functioning colon noun a lack of muscle tone in the bowel leading to
constipation and intestinal obstruction
ATP abbreviation adenosine triphosphate
ATPase noun an enzyme that aids the breakdown of ATP into ADP with a release of
energy. Also called adenosine triphosphatase
atrophy noun the process of wasting away because of a lack of nutrients
deficit disorder attention deficit disorder noun a condition in which a person is unable to concentrate,
does things without considering their actions properly and has little confidence. It occurs
mainly in children. Abbreviation ADD
deficit hyperactivity disorder attention deficit hyperactivity disorder noun a condition in which a child has an
inability to concentrate and shows disruptive behaviour. Abbreviation ADHD
aubergine noun a shiny purple-black vegetable that is the fruit of plant Solanum
melongena. Also called eggplant
audit noun an official investigation into whether procedures are being followed
audition noun in sensory analysis, the sense of sound
gratin au gratin adjective  gratin
AutismMedical noun a charitable body that researches links between diet and autism
autoclave noun a strong steel vessel in which pressure can be raised artificially, used for
steam sterilisation and for creating chemical reactions at high temperature
autoimmune adjective used to describe an immune reaction in a person against antigens
in his or her own cells
autolysate noun a product of the process autolysis, by which cells are broken down by
enzymes produced in the cells themselves
autolysin noun an enzyme that causes autolysis
autolysis noun the partial digestion of food by enzymes already present in it, as occurs
e.g. when meat is hung