Book Reviews

The Language of Biotechnology: nologists and researchers in allied

disciplines, it would be very useful for
A Dictionary of Terms (2nd edn) students, even at upper school levels.
A phonetic guide to each term’s pro-
nunciation is provided, based on the
by J.M. Walker and M. Cox, American Chemical Society, 1995. $29.95 (x t 296 pages) ISBN 0 8412 2982 1
American Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate
Dictionary, giving the European
The American Chemical Society ways this is more a primer than. a reader an authentic transatlantic into-
published John Walker and Michael straight lexicon. Examples taken at ran- nation if followed precisely. Food
Cox’s first edition of this dictionary in dom include the entries for capillary science and technology is reasonably
1988. Since then, over 450 new defi- electrophoresis (page 44), emulsion well served with definitions of terms
nitions have been added, to take ac- liquid membrane extraction (page 98), such as (again, taken at random)
count of research advances and the magnetotactic bacteria (page 172) and acidulants, amylases, pectinase,
commercialization of biotechnology. restriction endonucleases (page 237). xylitol, xanthan gums, rennet, mass
Health care and agricultural biotech- This dictionary is well focused on ap- spectrometer, high-fructose syrups and
nology are highlighted by the authors plied biotechnology, unlike J. Coombs’s single-cell protein. For these reasons
in their preface, and there are many 1986 Macmillan Dictionary of Bio- The Language of Biotechnology: A
succinct entries that encapsulate de- technology’ (330 pages), which in- Dictionary of Terms is recommended.
velopments in these sectors, such as cludes too many terms that are
gene therapy and biolistics. merely biological, or the Glossary of L.P.M. Lloyd-Evans
What I found pleasing about The Biotechnology Terms2 (153 pages), BioBridge BioBusiness Development Consultancy,
Language of Biotechnology: A Dic- which is heavily oriented towards pre- 45 St Barnabas Road, Cambridge, UK CBI 2BX.
tionary of Terms is the clear evidence cise definitions of molecular biology
of practical experience. Many of the and biochemistry. Moreover, it carries References
entries are not just dictionary defini- less of a personal stamp and is more 1 Coombs, 1. (1986) Macmillan Dictionary of
Biotechnology, The Macmillan Press
tions. There is a real sense of the pit- comprehensive than Bill Bain’s Bio- 2 Fleschar, M.H. and Nill, K.R. (1993) Glossary of
falls encountered, problems overcome technology from A to Z3 (358 pages). Biotechnology Terms, Technomic
and successes achieved in the ad- Although the text on the jacket aims 3 Bains, W. (1993) Biotechnology from A to Z,
ditional information, so that in some the dictionary at practising biotech- Oxford University Press

Meat and Meat Products: Technology, postmortem

temperature
proteolysis as related to
and calcium infusion,

Chemistry and Microbiology and the presence of antioxidants

pro-oxidants. There are considerable
or

overlaps between Chapter 4 and

bv Alan H. Varnam and lane P. Sutherland, ChaDman & Hall, 1995. f24.99 (viii t 430 pages)
,
Chapter 6; a combination of the two
l&N 0 412 49560 0 chapters would improve both the
continuity and readability.
This 430-page (six by nine inch) book topics discussed in the book include Each chapter is outlined with ap-
provides a comprehensive, yet con- fresh muscle structure, biochemistry propriate sub-headings and with spe-
cise, coverage of the processing, and nutrition (Chapter l), the conver- cific reading objectives stated at the
chemistry and microbiology of meat sion of muscle into meat (Chapter 2), beginning of the chapter. This unique
and meat products, including meat uncooked, cornminuted and reformed structural arrangement together with
from cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry and meat products (Chapter 3), cured meats the inclusion at the end of the chapter
exotic species. The latest information (Chapter 4), cooked meats and meat of several exercise questions based
on the rapidly changing meat industry products (Chapter 5), cooked cured on real situations encourage the
on a global scale is fully reflected in meats (Chapter 6), fermented sausages reader to apply the newly acquired
the text. In particular, traditional and (Chapter 7), and frozen (Chapter 8) and knowledge, and make the book very
new meat processing technologies, dried (Chapter 9) meats and meat prod- easy to understand and digest. The
current world meat consumption, ucts. Each of the topics is discussed book is particularly suitable for col-
meat product safety, and regulations under three general headings: tech- lege students or those who specialize
are fully discussed in nine chapters nology, chemistry and microbiology. in meat science and technology, and
arranged in a logical sequence. Sufficient details are provided in could be adopted as a textbook or a
The introduction of Meat and Meat most subject areas. For instance, in reference book for meat science
Products: Technology, Chemistry and Chapter 2, a broad range of intrinsic courses. Because the book covers es-
Microbiology gives a succinct over- and extrinsic factors that affect the sentially all aspects of the meat indus-
view of historical and contemporary conversion of muscle into meat are try and many current regulatory re-
aspects of worldwide meat production covered, and the discussion is sup- quirements, it is also an invaluable
and consumption, and presents the ported by data obtained from the resource for food industry employees
various reasons why meat and meat most up-to-date research. Examples involved in product development,
products, or meat from only certain of such factors are animal species, production management and quality
species, are consumed or rejected by genotype, muscle and fiber type, drug assurance, as well as personnel in-
individual consumers. The specific administration, pre-mortem stress, volved in a regulatory capacity. The

144 01996, Elsevier Science Ltd Trends in Food Science & Technology April 1996 [Vol. 71
nature and comprehensiveness of the background information. Unfortunately, meat science and meat manufactur-
subjects covered and the currentness the book contains very few graphic ing processes from a broad perspec-
of the information contained in the illustrations or tables to show results tive. Key references and related read-
book make it timely and useful to from exemplary studies. Thus, those ing, most being important reviews in
academia, industry and regulatory readers who are used to reading sci- the area of muscle foods, are cited,
services. entific journals might find the book less providing the reader with easy access
Meat and Meat Products: Tech- straightforward or self-explanatory to pertinent material. The authors
nology, Chemistry and Microbiology than some other food science books. have also compiled a detailed index
differs from most other meat science The book is rather technological; of the various subjects, which greatly
books in writing style. In addition to the discussion of the principles of facilitates the search for specific top-
the features already described above, meat science is done by linking the ics of interest to the reader. In conclu-
each of the chapters also contains fundamental concepts of muscle sion, this is a very informative meat
so-called information boxes, which chemistry, microbiology and process- science and technology book, and it
give extra information related to the ing technology to the actual manufac- should be extremely useful to food
subject under discussion in a humor- turing processes in the current meat scientists, meat processors and uni-
ous, entertaining and story-telling-like industry. Differences and similarities versity students.
manner. Furthermore, footnotes, which in meat processing practices em-
are either abstracted from recent studies ployed by different countries as well Youling 1. Xiong
or descriptions of certain concepts or as regulations adopted are discussed, Department of Animal Sciences,
phenomena, are also used to highlight thus allowing the readers to gain an 907 W.P. Garrigus Building, University of Kentucky,
the most important points and provide understanding and appreciation of Lexington, KY 40546.0215, USA.

It is claimed
The Food System:
on the back cover
A Guide ‘makes
that
an The Food System: A Guide
ideal text for students working on any
by Geoff Tansey and Tony Worsley, Earthscan Publications, 1995. f15.95 (xi t 259 pages)
aspect of food - from agriculture and
ISBN 1 85383 277 4
food technology, management, retail-
ing, catering and consumer studies, to
politics and development’, and I can matters’ includes chapters dealing purpose of the book. The first thing
well believe that many students will with ‘Food and the biosphere’, one reads on turning the cover is:
find it provides a useful overview of ‘Modern food - where did it come ‘Frank, devastatingly honest and ex-
a vast array of material. However, if from?’ and ‘Food, culture and human pertly researched, this is the essential
they are tempted to use the text as a needs’. The text ranges, inter alia, guide for anyone seeking to under-
substitute for more detailed and sys- from a discussion of the carbon cycle, stand the global food jigsaw. It re-
tematic study their trust will be mis- through land degradation and the veals the lunacies of marketing, the
placed. Inevitably, given the breadth concept of sustainability, the domesti- greed, the corruption, the hidden
of the subject matter addressed, the cation of animals, to nutrition guide- deals that control the way the world
depth of its coverage was bound to lines, toxicity testing and social influ- is fed. If you want to understand why
be thin, and at worst misleadingly ences on food intake. Part 2 outlines the world feeds itself in the way it
superficial. For example, I would not the roles of farmers and farm work- does, you must read this book.’
recommend that readers view this ers, food processors, distributors and Fortunately, the text itself failed to
text as an authoritative source on caterers, and consumers. Apparently, live up to these words of praise from
the enclosure movement, the poten- ‘People in urbanized, industrialized Derek Cooper. Whilst the style verges
tial benefits of R&D, or the recently societies are called consumers. This on the polemical, the object of the
concluded Agreement on Agriculture reflects the affluence and dominance authors’ ire is never particularly clear,
in the GATT (General Agreement on of money in these societies and the but a mistrust of industry and govern-
Tariffs and Trade) Uruguay Round. importance of the continuing con- ment prevails. Economists are cer-
Readers of this review might be inter- sumption and growth of goods and tainly not favoured, although, as an
ested to learn that ‘the limited liability services in the market economies. But economist, I would argue that the
status of companies means, for ex- “consumer” is a dehumanizing term text could have been much improved
ample, that they do not have to take that reduces a person to a single, if its economics content had been
any responsibility for the social, en- somewhat passive, aspect of human strengthened. Despite an attractive
vironmental or economic impact of life - the ability to use money to con- presentation, and its seemingly inex-
their actions’. In a total muddle, mix- sume goods and services’ (p. 142). haustible marshalling of facts, Tansey
ing the problem of externalities with Part 3 includes a chapter that outlines and Worsley’s text remains an enigma.
limited liability status, the paragraph the roles of science, technology, in- Its most serious shortcoming, how-
runs on ‘They can treat these costs as formation and management as ‘tools ever, is its lack of rigorous analysis.
external to their operations’ (p. 228). for control’; a chapter on food law
Despite the title, many of the ex- and food policy; and concludes with Alan Swinbank
amples in the book come from the a chapter entitled ‘Food policies for a Department ofAgricultural Economics and
UK, although other developed - and new millennium’. Management, University of Reading,
indeed developing - countries are Despite the wealth of information 4 Farley Gate, Whiteknights Road,
mentioned in the text. Part 1, ‘Food reported, it is difficult to discern the PO Box 237, Reading, UK RG6 2AR.

Trends in Food Science & Technology April 1996 [Vol. 71 01996, Elsevier Science Ltd 145