Many measurements of product and process characteristics have traditionally been 'off-line', involving removing the product and taking it to a quality control laboratory for analysis over a period of hours or even days. However, the development of faster, more automated methods of production, and the shift to more proactive quality and safety management systems such as HACCP, has forced the food industry to look for more rapid methods with the potential for continuous, real-time measurement of products and processes. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, this important collection summarises key developments in this growing field.