This is a comprehensive and very interesting book comprising 21 chapters focussing on various aspects of biofilms in the food industry. The book is mostly well-written and very readable; however, there are quite a few typographical errors which can be distracting for the reader.

The scientific content of the book is generally excellent, with informative chapters providing a good overview of the current literature; ranging from the mechanisms of biofilm formation by different food-borne pathogens, through imaging to sampling and cleaning. Of especial interest to me was Part IV of the book, which addresses the biofilms occurring in particular food industry sectors. There are, however, occasional oversights in some chapters, for example whilst the role of ambient temperature in biofilm formation is considered in Chapter 1, it doesn't really touch upon biofilms of psychrophilic organisms. In addition, Chapter 12 seems to give the impression that cleaning is the answer to biofilm problems, and it is only at the end of the chapter that the author makes it clear that disinfection/sanitization is as important as cleaning.

There are also some occasions when the book seems to draw its net too broad. For example, it is a book about biofilms in the food and beverage industries and yet one chapter goes into considerable detail on the physics of light microscopy. This is a very interesting and helpful review of light microscopy, but perhaps not quite within the scope of the book. Similarly, another chapter discusses biofilms in medical microbiology, which is very interesting, but not always relevant to biofilms in the food industry. On the other hand, there a number of chapters that are central to the topic of the book which probably deserve to contain greater detail and be given greater prominence, especially those in Part IV.

Overall, this is a very interesting book that is likely be of greatest value to academics and postdoctoral researchers working in the general field of food microbiology and with interests in biofilms, food-borne pathogens and spoilers, sampling, imaging and decontamination. Occasionally, the book seems to be aimed more at manufacturers, for example Chapter 12 discusses the choice of cleaners/sanitizers to be used in the food industry and the philosophy of cleaning versus disinfection. Since this is a very detailed and in-depth book, it is likely to be of greater benefit to an undergraduate student as an occasional reference text to help with specific essays or assignments. Consequently, this book is probably best suited to institutional purchase or possibly purchase by individuals working specifically within the food biofilms area.