Book excerpt: Contamination of food with extremely low levels of certain compounds can cause an unpleasant taste. This can result in the destruction of vast stocks of product, and very substantial financial losses to food companies. The concentration of the alien compound in the food can be so low that very sophisticated equipment is needed to identify the components and to determine its source. It is vital that every company involved in the production, distribution and sale of foodstuffs are fully aware of the ways in which contamination can accrue, how it can be avoided, and what steps need to be taken in the event that a problem does arise. This book provides the background information needed to recognize how food can become tainted, to draw up guidelines to prevent this contamination, and to plan the steps that should be taken in the event of an outbreak. The new edition has been extensively revised and updated and includes substantial new material on the formation of off flavors due to microbiological and enzymic action, and on sensory evaluation of taints and off flavors A new chapter on off flavors in alcoholic beverages has been added. Written primarily for industrial food technologists, this volume is also an essential reference source for workers in research and government institutions.