Volume 1 treats the most recent developments in the research of hydrogels, polysaccharides and proteins. Physico-chemical studies (thermodynamical approach including differential scanning calorimetry, rheology, light scattering, atomic force microscopic observation, spectroscopic measurements) of thermoreversible sol-gel transitions, volume phase transitions, fluid gels, and many other biological gelling materials, thickening, foaming, and stabilizing functions of these hydrocolloids in relation to their applications in food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries, are described. New aspects of cellulose and cellulose derivatives, starch, beta-glucan, newly developed polysaccharides from cell culture and soluble soybean polysaccharide, konjac glucomannan, galactomannan, seaweed polysaccharides such as carrageenans, aliginates, elsinan, Ai-geok polysaccharide, egg white, bovine serum albumin, milk proteins, soybean glycinin and beta-conglycinin, globins are described. Volume 2 treats the fundamental aspects of the molecular forces, dispersion stability, interaction between polysaccharides and proteins, processing and mixture of biopolymers, dietary fibres and nutrition, sensory evaluation, mastication and their applications in food, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Stability of suspensions and emulsions, interfacial problems such as adsorption and contact angles are discussed. New aspects of physicochemical properties and clinical implications of hyaluronan and synovial fluids are described. Pharmaceutical studies of sulfated poly- and oligosaccharides, and liposome dispersions are described. The present situation of sensory evaluation, how to measure the texture, the relation between the sensory evaluation and instrumental measurements are discussed. The importance of the study of mastication and the methods of measurements are described. Both volumes include excellent chapters by authorities in each field and all the chapters have been peer reviewed. These volumes will help to stimulate new challenges for the future.