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Journal of food engineering
68
Journal of Food Engineering edited
by R. Jowitt
Published by Applied Science Publishers Ltd., Barking, Essex, England; subscription prices for 1982, Vol. 1 (two issues): U.K. 821.50, Overseas 825.00; subsequent volumes (approx. 320 pp.) will comprise four issues
Volume 1, number 1, of this new journal has been received recently and will be reviewed at a later date when several more issues have been published. The journal aims, as declared by the Editor, are to publish highquality vetted papers on any subject at the interface between professional engineering and some aspect of food, usually but not exclusively related to industrial-scale operations. Some papers will be concerned with processes in which food undergoes a controlled change, and the economics of such processes. Here, process engineering may include the process, the equipment and the food being processed, along with measurement and control, both on- and off-line. Other papers will deal with packaging, storage and distribution of food, including the forming and filling of food containers. The scope will include engineering aspects of food service, catering and ‘fast food’, and the application of engineering principles to the design and production of ‘engineered’ and ‘restructured’ foods. It also intends to cover the engineering properties of foods and the hygienic design and operation of food equipment. Announcements, correspondence and reviews of relevant books will be included. J. D. SELMAN
Plastics Polymer Science and Technology edited by Mahendra D. Baijal SPE Monograph, published by Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1982, xi + 945 pp., price El15
On being invited to review this book, I looked forward to the task with pleasurable anticipation for two reasons: the very high price which suggested an interesting compilation and, secondly, a text published under the auspices of the S.P.E. Unfortunately, I chose to read the introductory chapter, ‘General considerations’, first and my hopes were quickly dashed; pages 1 and 2 persuaded me that this book could not be recommended,
even at a sale price. There is far too much evidence of poor proof-reading, blatant mistakes and lack of overall policy and direction, although amidst this debris there are some good contributions. Lest I be accused of over-reaction, inspection of page 1 reveals: two spelling mistakes, one factual error (polycarbonate is exemplified as a typical partially crystalline plastic), fibers being “oriented and spun” rather than “spun and oriented”, and a jumble of synthetic rubbers, in which trade names, trivial names, monomers and polymers are listed. Worse is yet to come: Table 1.1 on page 2 is very unhelpful, even confusing. In this compilation “low pressure polyethylene”, which is surely an unacceptable description, is featured; non-standard SI units are introduced (e.g., N/cm*); two categories of “elongation” are quoted, the difference between these not being explained (the confusion is increased by “elongation-at-break” data being lower than those for “elongation” for plastics and rubbers); strength is quoted in novel units (K m*); finally, SBR, which is a notoriously weak rubber, is accorded a strength comparable with that of plastics. Although I have taken Chapter 1 to task, it is the sad case that the book continues in the same vein. On page 207, we are introduced to the interesting concept of “birefringence induced by scratching a polymer”. On page 621, we find the statement: “Dust attracted to the surface can create electrical hazards, even electrical shocks”. On page 627, the schoolboy howler “crystalline polystyrene” is observed; and so on. Spelling mistakes are all too common: there are, for example, four on page 205; surely this is too sloppy a presentation for a volume at this price. The real criticism of this multi-author book is, however, the divisive effect on polymer science and technology. It is divided into two parts, Materials Science and Product Technology, with much of the coverage of the early chapters being repeated with not dissimilar commentary in later chapters. As one of many possible examples: mechanical properties are discussed in chapters 7, 16 and 17; Fig. 7.2 contains similar information to Fig. 16.17, which is almost identical to Fig. 17.3. It is a disservice to the subject to separate plastics technology from its underlying science and the attempt is confusing to the reader. With coordination, the excessive length of this very
Journal of Food Engineering edited
by R. Jowitt
Published by Applied Science Publishers Ltd., Barking, Essex, England; subscription prices for 1982, Vol. 1 (two issues): U.K. 821.50, Overseas 825.00; subsequent volumes (approx. 320 pp.) will comprise four issues
Volume 1, number 1, of this new journal has been received recently and will be reviewed at a later date when several more issues have been published. The journal aims, as declared by the Editor, are to publish highquality vetted papers on any subject at the interface between professional engineering and some aspect of food, usually but not exclusively related to industrial-scale operations. Some papers will be concerned with processes in which food undergoes a controlled change, and the economics of such processes. Here, process engineering may include the process, the equipment and the food being processed, along with measurement and control, both on- and off-line. Other papers will deal with packaging, storage and distribution of food, including the forming and filling of food containers. The scope will include engineering aspects of food service, catering and ‘fast food’, and the application of engineering principles to the design and production of ‘engineered’ and ‘restructured’ foods. It also intends to cover the engineering properties of foods and the hygienic design and operation of food equipment. Announcements, correspondence and reviews of relevant books will be included. J. D. SELMAN
Plastics Polymer Science and Technology edited by Mahendra D. Baijal SPE Monograph, published by Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1982, xi + 945 pp., price El15
On being invited to review this book, I looked forward to the task with pleasurable anticipation for two reasons: the very high price which suggested an interesting compilation and, secondly, a text published under the auspices of the S.P.E. Unfortunately, I chose to read the introductory chapter, ‘General considerations’, first and my hopes were quickly dashed; pages 1 and 2 persuaded me that this book could not be recommended,
even at a sale price. There is far too much evidence of poor proof-reading, blatant mistakes and lack of overall policy and direction, although amidst this debris there are some good contributions. Lest I be accused of over-reaction, inspection of page 1 reveals: two spelling mistakes, one factual error (polycarbonate is exemplified as a typical partially crystalline plastic), fibers being “oriented and spun” rather than “spun and oriented”, and a jumble of synthetic rubbers, in which trade names, trivial names, monomers and polymers are listed. Worse is yet to come: Table 1.1 on page 2 is very unhelpful, even confusing. In this compilation “low pressure polyethylene”, which is surely an unacceptable description, is featured; non-standard SI units are introduced (e.g., N/cm*); two categories of “elongation” are quoted, the difference between these not being explained (the confusion is increased by “elongation-at-break” data being lower than those for “elongation” for plastics and rubbers); strength is quoted in novel units (K m*); finally, SBR, which is a notoriously weak rubber, is accorded a strength comparable with that of plastics. Although I have taken Chapter 1 to task, it is the sad case that the book continues in the same vein. On page 207, we are introduced to the interesting concept of “birefringence induced by scratching a polymer”. On page 621, we find the statement: “Dust attracted to the surface can create electrical hazards, even electrical shocks”. On page 627, the schoolboy howler “crystalline polystyrene” is observed; and so on. Spelling mistakes are all too common: there are, for example, four on page 205; surely this is too sloppy a presentation for a volume at this price. The real criticism of this multi-author book is, however, the divisive effect on polymer science and technology. It is divided into two parts, Materials Science and Product Technology, with much of the coverage of the early chapters being repeated with not dissimilar commentary in later chapters. As one of many possible examples: mechanical properties are discussed in chapters 7, 16 and 17; Fig. 7.2 contains similar information to Fig. 16.17, which is almost identical to Fig. 17.3. It is a disservice to the subject to separate plastics technology from its underlying science and the attempt is confusing to the reader. With coordination, the excessive length of this very