Book Review
1
The general nature of the book also leads to some problems. Although the author refers to reviews in some areas, this is not always the case - and some aspects of physiology (that this reviewer noticed) are presented in a fashion which is not com- pletely current - for example - the role of the liver as a "filter" for absorbed glucose, the carrier, mediated transport of glucose across liver cell membranes and the role of glucagon in the minute to minute regulation of glucose levels. (Also a rather large number of typographical errors were noted and Fig. 9.1 appears to be mislabelled). Admittedly it is impossible to be com- pletely up to date on every aspect of the area, but more refer- ences would have been appreciated by the research worker. In spite of these few shortcomings, the book remains a very good summary of the carbohydrate area from the nutrition standpoint. J. Radziuk Nutrition and Food Science Centre McGill University THE DIRECT EPIFLUORESCENT FILTER TECHNIQUE FOR THE RAPID ENUMERATION OF MICROORGANISMS. G.L. Pettifer, Research Studies Press Ltd., Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England. 1933, 193 pp. $51.95. This monograph is the first in the Innovation in Microbiology Series edited by A.N. Sharpe. The monograph consists of three chap- ters. The first chapter "Overview of the Dairy Industry" is a dis- cussion of the dairy industry in the United Kingdom, milk produc- tion and the microbiology of milk. Much of the information, although interesting reading, is not relevant to the subject of the book. The second chapter "Rapid Methods for Assessing Bacterial Numbers in Raw Milk"gives a good overview, and advantages and disadvantages, of rapid and not-so-rapid methods that have been assessed for estimation of bacterial numbers in raw milk. This chap- ter leads to the third chapter. "The Direct Epifluorescent Filter Tech- niques" (DEFT) which contains the most useful information in the monograph. The author provides information on the development of DEFT and the trials and tribulations encountered in developing the method and fostering its acceptance by the dairy industry. The theory upon which DEFT is based is explained very well as is the theory of staining microorganisms with fluorescent stains. The appli- cation and potential usefulness of DEFT to foods, water, sanita- tion monitoring and urine is also covered. Although there is food information in the monograph about DEFT and the references are as up to date in a publication like this, the amount of information about DEFT may not justify the cost of the monograph. Chapter I does not contribute to the reader's understanding about DEFT, while Chapter 2describes other methods of enumerating bacteria in milk. This monograph, despite its limitations, would be a useful addi- tion to University and Technical College libraries as a source book about DEFT and would be useful to those contemplating the appli- cation of the direct epifluorescent filter technique in their research. B. Skura University of British Columbia UTILIZATION OF MICROORGANISMS IN MEAT PROCESS- ING - A HANDBOOK FOR MEAT PLANT OPERATORS. Jim Bacus, Research Studies Press Ltd., Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England. 1984. 170 pp. $46.95. Despite its relatively small size, this book is a well documented overview of the utilization of pure microbial cultures in the manufac- ture of processed meats. The first two chapters are devoted to meat fermentations. They present a comprehensive survey of the tech- Can. [nsf. Food Sci. Technol. J. Vol. 17, No.4. 1984 nology of dry and semi-dry sausages and serve as an introduction to the following chapters. The heart of the book consists of chap- ters 3 to 5, dealing with starter cultures as helpers in meat fermen- tations. The different bacterial or fungal starter culture commer- cially available are reviewed, along with their functional characteristics. Guidelines for the choice of a proper culture are given and the role of microbial cultures in the promotion of product safety is discussed, as well as the development of characteristic flavours. The three last chapters present some additional applications of the microbial cultures, i.e. the reduction of nitrosamines in bacon and the maturation of non-comminuted cured meat products. The book has obviously been written for repeated consultation rather than linear reading and each chapter is fully independent. The text is dense and requires attentive reading but the essential infor- mation is clearly summarized in neat graphics and tables, making it more accessible to the non-specialist. Chapters I, 2, 4 and 5 would constitute an excellent introduction to meat fermentations for stu- dents in Food Science programs while QC & RD people will find a substantial amount of useful technical data and references from chapter 3 on. J.-P.G. Piette School of Food Science McGill University SOYMILK INDUSTRY & MARKET. W. Shurtleff and A. Aoyagi, The Soyfood Center, Lafayette, CA. 1984. 283 pp. $35.00 U.S. This book contains an excellent review on historical background and the most up-to-date survey results of soymilk industry and mar- ket in the world. The writing style is comprehensive and each chap- ter is full of business success stories which keep stirring readers' interest. The authors' untiring survey covers the soymilk and its related markets world-wide, especially that in Japan and Hong Kong. The authors' interpretation of the market trend is rational and timely. This book may be useful in business for decision making on new investment or going into business, especially in North America. Some important points of argument are: I. A difficulty in penetration of soymilk products into the main- stream American market due mainly to the differences in nutri- tional emphasis and eating habit between Asian and American consumers. 2. Potential oversupply of the market in the near future, probably resulting in intensive competition for the market share. 3. Pricing policy with the current excessively high price tag attached to soymilk products compared to that of regular pasteurized milk. However, the statements are frequently redundant, with the same contention and data being repeated in different places in the book. Some technical terms are unfamiliar to scientists in the area, for example, 'a relative density' instead of 'specific gravity' on p. 66 and vitamin 'B-1' instead of 'B 1 ' etc. In addition: I. No number system is used for figures and tables which makes citation in the text difficult. 2. The chapter number used in the contents is not used in the text. 3. The numbering system is confused by using the same arabic numerals for chapter 1-30 on p. 3 and for subsections on p. 22 and 130. 4. The indentation is wrongly made on p. 3, 13-18 and p. 22 F. 3-5 and 7-14. 5. The title of chapter does not match between the contents and the text, e.g., p. 130. 6. Numerous misprints. This book does not reach the standard of scientific monographs and requires extensive professional editorial work. It is probably acceptable if the purpose of publication is as a business market report. S. Nakai and S. Hayakawa University of British Columbia Book Reviews / 185
Transcript of Book Review
The general nature of the book also leads to some problems.Although the author refers to reviews in some areas, this is notalways the case - and some aspects of physiology (that thisreviewer noticed) are presented in a fashion which is not completely current - for example - the role of the liver as a "filter"for absorbed glucose, the carrier, mediated transport of glucoseacross liver cell membranes and the role of glucagon in theminute to minute regulation of glucose levels. (Also a ratherlarge number of typographical errors were noted and Fig. 9.1appears to be mislabelled). Admittedly it is impossible to be completely up to date on every aspect of the area, but more references would have been appreciated by the research worker.
In spite of these few shortcomings, the book remains a verygood summary of the carbohydrate area from the nutritionstandpoint.
J. RadziukNutrition and Food Science Centre
McGill University
THE DIRECT EPIFLUORESCENT FILTER TECHNIQUE FORTHE RAPID ENUMERATION OF MICROORGANISMS. G.L.Pettifer, Research Studies Press Ltd., Letchworth, Hertfordshire,England. 1933, 193 pp. $51.95.
This monograph is the first in the Innovation in MicrobiologySeries edited by A.N. Sharpe. The monograph consists of three chapters. The first chapter "Overview of the Dairy Industry" is a discussion of the dairy industry in the United Kingdom, milk production and the microbiology of milk. Much of the information,although interesting reading, is not relevant to the subject of thebook. The second chapter "Rapid Methods for Assessing BacterialNumbers in Raw Milk"gives a good overview, and advantages anddisadvantages, of rapid and not-so-rapid methods that have beenassessed for estimation of bacterial numbers in raw milk. This chapter leads to the third chapter. "The Direct Epifluorescent Filter Techniques" (DEFT) which contains the most useful information in themonograph. The author provides information on the developmentof DEFT and the trials and tribulations encountered in developingthe method and fostering its acceptance by the dairy industry. Thetheory upon which DEFT is based is explained very well as is thetheory of staining microorganisms with fluorescent stains. The application and potential usefulness of DEFT to foods, water, sanitation monitoring and urine is also covered.
Although there is food information in the monograph aboutDEFT and the references are as up to date in a publication like this,the amount of information about DEFT may not justify the costof the monograph. Chapter I does not contribute to the reader'sunderstanding about DEFT, while Chapter 2 describes other methodsof enumerating bacteria in milk.
This monograph, despite its limitations, would be a useful addition to University and Technical College libraries as a source bookabout DEFT and would be useful to those contemplating the application of the direct epifluorescent filter technique in their research.
B. SkuraUniversity of British Columbia
UTILIZATION OF MICROORGANISMS IN MEAT PROCESSING - A HANDBOOK FOR MEAT PLANT OPERATORS. JimBacus, Research Studies Press Ltd., Letchworth, Hertfordshire,England. 1984. 170 pp. $46.95.
Despite its relatively small size, this book is a well documentedoverview of the utilization of pure microbial cultures in the manufacture of processed meats. The first two chapters are devoted to meatfermentations. They present a comprehensive survey of the tech-
Can. [nsf. Food Sci. Technol. J. Vol. 17, No.4. 1984
nology of dry and semi-dry sausages and serve as an introductionto the following chapters. The heart of the book consists of chapters 3 to 5, dealing with starter cultures as helpers in meat fermentations. The different bacterial or fungal starter culture commercially available are reviewed, along with their functionalcharacteristics. Guidelines for the choice of a proper culture are givenand the role of microbial cultures in the promotion of product safetyis discussed, as well as the development of characteristic flavours.The three last chapters present some additional applications of themicrobial cultures, i.e. the reduction of nitrosamines in bacon andthe maturation of non-comminuted cured meat products.
The book has obviously been written for repeated consultationrather than linear reading and each chapter is fully independent.The text is dense and requires attentive reading but the essential information is clearly summarized in neat graphics and tables, makingit more accessible to the non-specialist. Chapters I, 2, 4 and 5 wouldconstitute an excellent introduction to meat fermentations for students in Food Science programs while QC & RD people will finda substantial amount of useful technical data and references fromchapter 3 on.
J.-P.G. PietteSchool of Food Science
McGill University
SOYMILK INDUSTRY & MARKET. W. Shurtleff and A. Aoyagi,The Soyfood Center, Lafayette, CA. 1984. 283 pp. $35.00 U.S.
This book contains an excellent review on historical backgroundand the most up-to-date survey results of soymilk industry and market in the world. The writing style is comprehensive and each chapter is full of business success stories which keep stirring readers'interest. The authors' untiring survey covers the soymilk and itsrelated markets world-wide, especially that in Japan and Hong Kong.The authors' interpretation of the market trend is rational and timely.This book may be useful in business for decision making on newinvestment or going into business, especially in North America. Someimportant points of argument are:I. A difficulty in penetration of soymilk products into the main
stream American market due mainly to the differences in nutritional emphasis and eating habit between Asian and Americanconsumers.
2. Potential oversupply of the market in the near future, probablyresulting in intensive competition for the market share.
3. Pricing policy with the current excessively high price tag attachedto soymilk products compared to that of regular pasteurized milk.
However, the statements are frequently redundant, with the samecontention and data being repeated in different places in the book.Some technical terms are unfamiliar to scientists in the area, forexample, 'a relative density' instead of 'specific gravity' on p. 66and vitamin 'B-1' instead of 'B1' etc. In addition:I. No number system is used for figures and tables which makes
citation in the text difficult.2. The chapter number used in the contents is not used in the text.3. The numbering system is confused by using the same arabic
numerals for chapter 1-30 on p. 3 and for subsections on p. 22and 130.
4. The indentation is wrongly made on p. 3, 13-18 and p. 22 F.3-5 and 7-14.
5. The title of chapter does not match between the contents andthe text, e.g., p. 130.
6. Numerous misprints.This book does not reach the standard of scientific monographs
and requires extensive professional editorial work. It is probablyacceptable if the purpose of publication is as a business marketreport.
S. Nakai and S. HayakawaUniversity of British Columbia
Book Reviews / 185
