Book excerpt: Fish is one of the most highly perishable commodities and the public requires continuous reassurance about its quality. Futhermore, consumer taste is moving to more highly perishable fish products, which require more careful attention in preparation and storage. The fourth edition of Control of Fish Quality, which is truly international in scope, provides sound and practical advice on all aspects of this subject, from harvesting to retailing. The new fourth edition is a comprehensive revision that takes full account of all new findings and ideas to emerge in the five years since publication of the last edition. Numerous detailed ammendments have been made and this edition includes some entirely new sections.