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Control of fish quality
192
methods of stabilizing or binding of prepared diets to reduce leaching of nutrients. Numerous uncommon protein and fat sources of use in fishfeed formulations are mentioned, along with performance when used as a part of prepared fishfeeds. These may be of interest to many fish culturists and fish nutritionists as alternate nutrient sources. There are several papers in the usual sense of experimentation, in which two or more levels of a specific ingredient were used, each level being fed to its group of fish, with results to demonstrate the optimum dietary level for growth and/or fish health when combined with the other ingredients in the finished ration. The subject of fishfeed product quality as it influences growth and fish quality (flesh flavor, color, texture, and others) is also addressed. The use of carotenoid pigments to influence flesh color is well covered. Methods used to determine digestible and metabolizable energy, bioenergetics, fish quality and diet evaluation are given. The two volumes offer a ready reference to many fish nutrition and diet performance subjects. They extend much of the information given in the reference volume, “Fish Nutrition”, edited by the present senior author in 1972. GEORGE POST (Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A.)
CONTROL OF FISH QUALITY
Controt of Fish Quality. J.J. Connell. Second edition, 1980. Fishing News Books, Great Britain. 240 pp., illus., hard cover, bE8.50, ISBN 0-85238-105-O. Dr. Connell, Director of Ton-y Research Station in Aberdeen, was formerly in charge of scientific work in a broad field and is therefore capable of writing a book like this. Everyone is interested in quality these days; not only the inspection services and the trade but also the consumers. As the auth.or says, quality control is difficult, among other things because most fish is caught in the wild. Another difficulty is that of reaching a common opinion because different countries have different demands. Consumers who are accustomed to sea-fresh fish have other preferences than those who live far from the coast. Similar statements can be made for different countries. In most ~es~~urope~ countries ve~~n~i~s are involved in fish inspection. Their approach sometimes differs from that of the fish or food technologist. It is therefore very useful that a condensed survey is given on parasites in fish. Attention is also paid to contaminants and to the influences of water pollution. It is a pity that the author does not mention that the danger of mercury has been over-emphasized because there are strong indications that selenium inactivates the toxic effects of methyl mercury.
193
The reasons for a fall in quality, i.e. spoilage, are clearly explained and, more importantly, how to avoid spoilage as long as possible. A good and extended survey is given both in words and in figures. It is also right that attention has been paid to differences in spoilage pattern due to differences in fishing ground and size of the fish, Relatively much attention has been paid to glazing of frozen fish. In the opinion of the reviewer, the author should have written that glazing is an important way of keeping frozen fish in a good condition, but also of misleading the consumer if the net fish weight has not been declared on the label. The value of good hygiene is very well and clearly described. These chapters make it clear that control of fish quality, as in the title, is as important as fish quality control. In this respect, inspectors should give information to industry if they declare fish unfit for human consumption. Although a broad description is given of sensory quality assessment and many examples of freshness schemes are supplied, the value of the chapter concerned would have been higher if some mention was made of the E.E.C. scheme for freshness in this chapter instead of later on. Extensive and wellbalanced surveys are given on objective quality control by means of laboratory analyses. The book ends with a good review about regulations in various countries and also pays attention to standards, either national or international. The readableness of the book is very good, not least because of the excellent figures and photographs. Because of its wide scope, this book can be recommended to all who would deepen their knowledge. The fish technologist, for instance, may find data which extend his knowledge. It is also interesting for those who are charged with fish inspection and especially for civil servants faced with organisation problems of fish inspection. The reviewer has a strong feeling that the latter are of the opinion that control of fish quality is easy. This book may be an eye-opener for them.
(IJmuiden,
H. HOUWING The Netherlands)
SKELETAL GROWTH OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS
Skeletal Growth of Aquatic Organisms: Biological Records of Environmental Change. Donald C. Rhoads and Richard A. Lutz (Editors). Plenum Press, London o-306-40259-9.
and New York, NY, 1980. 750 pp., US$47.50,
ISBN
This book is the first volume in a series on Topics in Geobiology. The title is perhaps a little misleading in that the content deals exclusively with calcified structures and does not include the subjects of teleost skeletons and
methods of stabilizing or binding of prepared diets to reduce leaching of nutrients. Numerous uncommon protein and fat sources of use in fishfeed formulations are mentioned, along with performance when used as a part of prepared fishfeeds. These may be of interest to many fish culturists and fish nutritionists as alternate nutrient sources. There are several papers in the usual sense of experimentation, in which two or more levels of a specific ingredient were used, each level being fed to its group of fish, with results to demonstrate the optimum dietary level for growth and/or fish health when combined with the other ingredients in the finished ration. The subject of fishfeed product quality as it influences growth and fish quality (flesh flavor, color, texture, and others) is also addressed. The use of carotenoid pigments to influence flesh color is well covered. Methods used to determine digestible and metabolizable energy, bioenergetics, fish quality and diet evaluation are given. The two volumes offer a ready reference to many fish nutrition and diet performance subjects. They extend much of the information given in the reference volume, “Fish Nutrition”, edited by the present senior author in 1972. GEORGE POST (Fort Collins, CO, U.S.A.)
CONTROL OF FISH QUALITY
Controt of Fish Quality. J.J. Connell. Second edition, 1980. Fishing News Books, Great Britain. 240 pp., illus., hard cover, bE8.50, ISBN 0-85238-105-O. Dr. Connell, Director of Ton-y Research Station in Aberdeen, was formerly in charge of scientific work in a broad field and is therefore capable of writing a book like this. Everyone is interested in quality these days; not only the inspection services and the trade but also the consumers. As the auth.or says, quality control is difficult, among other things because most fish is caught in the wild. Another difficulty is that of reaching a common opinion because different countries have different demands. Consumers who are accustomed to sea-fresh fish have other preferences than those who live far from the coast. Similar statements can be made for different countries. In most ~es~~urope~ countries ve~~n~i~s are involved in fish inspection. Their approach sometimes differs from that of the fish or food technologist. It is therefore very useful that a condensed survey is given on parasites in fish. Attention is also paid to contaminants and to the influences of water pollution. It is a pity that the author does not mention that the danger of mercury has been over-emphasized because there are strong indications that selenium inactivates the toxic effects of methyl mercury.
193
The reasons for a fall in quality, i.e. spoilage, are clearly explained and, more importantly, how to avoid spoilage as long as possible. A good and extended survey is given both in words and in figures. It is also right that attention has been paid to differences in spoilage pattern due to differences in fishing ground and size of the fish, Relatively much attention has been paid to glazing of frozen fish. In the opinion of the reviewer, the author should have written that glazing is an important way of keeping frozen fish in a good condition, but also of misleading the consumer if the net fish weight has not been declared on the label. The value of good hygiene is very well and clearly described. These chapters make it clear that control of fish quality, as in the title, is as important as fish quality control. In this respect, inspectors should give information to industry if they declare fish unfit for human consumption. Although a broad description is given of sensory quality assessment and many examples of freshness schemes are supplied, the value of the chapter concerned would have been higher if some mention was made of the E.E.C. scheme for freshness in this chapter instead of later on. Extensive and wellbalanced surveys are given on objective quality control by means of laboratory analyses. The book ends with a good review about regulations in various countries and also pays attention to standards, either national or international. The readableness of the book is very good, not least because of the excellent figures and photographs. Because of its wide scope, this book can be recommended to all who would deepen their knowledge. The fish technologist, for instance, may find data which extend his knowledge. It is also interesting for those who are charged with fish inspection and especially for civil servants faced with organisation problems of fish inspection. The reviewer has a strong feeling that the latter are of the opinion that control of fish quality is easy. This book may be an eye-opener for them.
(IJmuiden,
H. HOUWING The Netherlands)
SKELETAL GROWTH OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS
Skeletal Growth of Aquatic Organisms: Biological Records of Environmental Change. Donald C. Rhoads and Richard A. Lutz (Editors). Plenum Press, London o-306-40259-9.
and New York, NY, 1980. 750 pp., US$47.50,
ISBN
This book is the first volume in a series on Topics in Geobiology. The title is perhaps a little misleading in that the content deals exclusively with calcified structures and does not include the subjects of teleost skeletons and