1 Sensory evaluation of taints and off-flavours. - 1. 1 Introduction. - 1. 2 Thresholds and their measurement. - 1. 3 Sensory descriptions of taints and off-flavours. - 1. 4 Principles of sensory evaluation of food. - 1. 5 Sensory testing for taint. - 1. 6 Ethical considerations. - 1. 7 Future developments. - References. - 2 A survey of chemicals causing taints and off-flavours in foods. - 2. 1 Introduction. - 2. 2 Taints derived from known chemicals. - References. - 3 Analysis of taints and off-flavours. - 3. 1 Introduction. - 3. 2 Instrument analysis. - 3. 3 Sensory methods. - 3. 4 Examples of off-flavour studies. - 3. 5 Conclusions. - References. - 4 Taste and odor problems in drinking water. - 4. 1 Introduction. - 4. 2 Off-flavors in drinking water and their relation to drinking water standards. - 4. 3 Classifying tastes and odors. - 4. 4 The causes of tastes and odors in water supplies. - 4. 5 Cause-and-effect relationships in drinking water taste and odor problems. - 4. 6 Specific taste and odor-causing compounds. - 4. 7 Treatment of specific odorous chemicals. - 4. 8 Taste and odor treatment of off-odors by chlorination and chloramination. - 4. 9 Taste and odor treatment of off-odor by ozonation. - 4. 10 Taste and odor treatment by carbon adsorption. - 4. 11 Summary. - References. - 5 Undesirable flavors in dairy products. - 5. 1 Introduction. - 5. 2 Sensory characteristics of off-flavors. - 5. 3 Transmitted off-flavors. - 5. 4 Lipolyzed flavor. - 5. 5 Microbial flavors. - 5. 6 Heat-induced flavors. - 5. 7 Oxidized flavor. - 5. 8 Miscellaneous off-flavors. - Acknowledgement. - References. - 6 Oxidative pathways to the formation of off-flavours. - 6. 1 Introduction. - 6. 2 Unsaturated lipids as off-flavour precursors. - 6. 3 Decomposition of hydroperoxides and types of off-flavour compounds. - 6. 4 Miscellaneous off-flavours and precursors. - 6. 5 Conclusions. - Acknowledgement. - References. - 7 Packaging material as a source of taints. - 7. 1 Introduction. - 7. 2 Standard odour and taint assessment methods. - 7. 3 Printing inks and adhesives. - 7. 4 Paper and board packaging. - 7. 5 Plastics packaging. - 7. 6 Chlorophenols and chloroanisoles. - 7. 7 Scalping' of food aromas and flavours by packaging. - 7. 8 Analytical methods for isolating and identifying odorous and tainting substances. - References. - 8 A retailer's perspective. - 8. 1 Introduction. - 8. 2 Product recall. - 8. 3 Case histories. - 8. 4 Avoidance of taint. - Acknowledgement. - 9 Formation of off-flavours due to microbiological and enzymic action. - 9. 1 Introduction. - 9. 2 Milk and dairy products. - 9. 3 Fruit and vegetables. - 9. 4 Wine and beer. - 9. 5 Meat and fish. - 9. 6 Concluding remarks. - Note. - References. - 10 Off-flavours in alcoholic beverages. - 10. 1 Introduction. - 10. 2 Beer. - 10. 3 Cider. - 10. 4 Saké. - 10. 5 Wine and fortified wine. - 10. 6 Conclusions. - Acknowledgments. - References. Language: English