This is a most interesting and useful book. The editors have brought together 29 articles dealing with various aspects of the composition and properties of tomato. The main focus is on the contribution these aspects might make to the health benefits of a ‘Mediterranean’ diet. Hence, the involvement of lycopene consumption in reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men is strongly featured. The book's main emphasis is on the production of field-grown crops for processing, as tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins, especially vitamin C, as well as lycopene. However, the book also manages to fit in a chapter on the flavour of tomato while yet other chapters touch upon food safety, the study of tomato seeds as evidence in forensic studies, and the detection of genetically modified material in tomato products. Known and potentially advantageous genetic modifications are discussed at length including the merits of enhancing the production of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, and the famous FlavrSavr™ tomato, in which the expression of just one gene was inhibited. Many chapters make the important point that environment too has a profound effect on biochemical composition. Although the book deals mainly with tomato fruit it does include a chapter on the feasibility of using extracts from tomato leaves as a pesticide, and the creation of biodegradable plastics from the polysaccharides extracted from cultured tomato cells or from solid tomato wastes. Indeed, the editors must be congratulated on assembling such a fascinating array of articles and authors.