With the importance of international trade of fruit and vegetables, postharvest technologies capable of cutting waste and reducing energy consumption are of increasing interest. Controlled or modified atmosphere storage, the subject of this book, involves the manipulation of the storage atmosphere to slow down produce metabolism, maintain quality and hence extend storage life.

The strength of this book, a revised edition, is not so much in the explanation of the principles and technologies involved, but in the thorough coverage of available information. The author covers several aspects of the subject. For example while most of the book concentrates on science, the introduction provides a very interesting overview of the historical development of controlled atmosphere storage. In subsequent chapters the author supports the description of aspects of postharvest handling with a wealth of specific commodity information. The fact that fruit and vegetables vary so much in their behaviour often causes confusion for those handling them, making this a particularly important feature of this book. Chapter 9 provides a particularly detailed review of the recommendations for controlled atmosphere storage of an extensive range of crops. Having been written by someone with an understanding of the practical applications of postharvest technology in addition to research, the book provides interesting insights into why some technologies have been taken up commercially while others have not.

Altogether this book is an invaluable source of information, and an excellent reference book for professionals and researchers involved in postharvest technology of perishable food crops.