Book excerpt: Off-flavours and taints are defined as unpleasant odours or tastes, the first resulting from the natural deterioration of a food, the second from its contamination by some other chemical. Both are major problems for the food industry. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, this important collection describes some of the most important causes of taints and off-flavours, how they can be identified and dealt with.The book begins with chapters on sensory and instrumental methods for detecting and analysing taints and off-flavours in food. There are chapters on two of the most common causes of taints: packaging and residues from cleaning and disinfection. A number of chapters discuss the various causes of off-flavours, from those caused by microbial action and oxidation to those caused by the Maillard reaction and interactions between food components.With its authoritative coverage, Taints and off-flavours in food is a standard work for the food industry. - Describes some of the most important causes of taints and off-flavours in food and outlines how they can be identified and dealt with - Reviews the major causes of taints and off-flavours, from oxidative rancidity and microbiologically-derived off-flavours, to packaging materials as a source of taints - Discusses the range of techniques for detecting taints and off-flavours, from sensory analysis to instrumental techniques, including the development of new rapid, on-line sensors