Book excerpt: Fish as Food, Volume I: Production, Biochemistry, and Microbiology discusses progress in the field of fish research. This volume is composed of 17 chapters that cover the biology, biochemistry, world production, cultivation, nutritional composition, and microbiology of fish. The introductory chapters present some examples of the biological basis for the relationships between yield in fishery and economics. The book goes on discussing fish cultivation in Europe, Japan, and South East Asia and the factors to consider in various cultivation methods. The subsequent chapters are devoted to the nutritional value of fish, including its lipid, mineral, water, fatty acid, and protein content. A chapter considers the oxidation properties and rancidity of fish. The book also covers some problems related to fishery business, such as the production of histamine, the occurrence of non-protein nitrogenous compounds, and the rigor mortis. The concluding chapters focus on microbiological aspects of fish production. Discussions on the microbial spoilage of marine fish, crustaceans, and mollusks; the microbiology of shellfish deterioration; and the use of chemical preservatives to control microbiological fish deterioration are also included. The book is an invaluable source primarily to food scientists and also to a wide range of research workers, including biologists, chemists, bacteriologists, parasitologists, oceanographers, nutritionists, and technologists.