Fearing food: risk, health and environment

Front Cover......Page 1
Fearing Food: Risk, Health and Environment......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Table of Contents......Page 6
Executive summary......Page 8
Biographies......Page 10
The not so silent spring......Page 17
A danger to mankind?......Page 19
The organochlorine war continues......Page 22
The POPs protocol......Page 23
Protecting the ozone layer or merely increasing the cost of carrots?......Page 24
Fear of food additives......Page 25
Cyclamates and saccharin – the perils of dieting......Page 26
The environmental and health benefits of modern farming techniques......Page 27
Virtual risks......Page 28
Food safety regulation: public v private......Page 30
Environmental regulation: private v public......Page 31
Conclusions......Page 32
References......Page 33
Section 1 : But is it true?......Page 36
Introduction......Page 38
Why we will have to triple farm output by 2050......Page 40
Organic yields are too low......Page 41
The safety of modern pesticides......Page 42
No nutritional advantage from organic foods......Page 44
Soil erosion......Page 45
What are the pesticide impacts on wildlife?......Page 48
Can we achieve still-higher yields?......Page 49
Can we save the small family farm?......Page 51
Carping about wonder wheat......Page 52
References......Page 53
Summary......Page 54
Myths and facts about synthetic chemicals and human cancer......Page 55
References......Page 69
Introduction......Page 73
The metabolism of nitrates......Page 74
Dietary methaemoglobinaemia in infants - Blue Baby syndrome......Page 77
Cancer......Page 78
Other grievances......Page 80
References......Page 81
Introduction......Page 82
Bacterial resistance......Page 83
Antibiotics on the farm......Page 84
Swedish failure......Page 86
Copenhagen coup......Page 87
Ban details......Page 88
Discussion......Page 89
References......Page 92
Introduction......Page 93
Genetic modification in context and perspective......Page 94
What is genetic modification?......Page 97
What is feasible now, and in the future?......Page 100
Anti-viral GM crops......Page 103
Anti-nematode GM crops......Page 104
Financial and economic aspects......Page 107
The key paradoxes......Page 110
A final word......Page 111
References......Page 112
Introduction – packaging through the ages......Page 113
Complexity of packaging choices......Page 115
The trash tango: packaging and waste......Page 118
Food packaging: the big picture......Page 125
Trends for the future......Page 129
References......Page 132
Section 2 : If it's not part of the solution, it's part of the problem......Page 134
Introduction......Page 136
The dietary guidelines......Page 137
The scientific evidence......Page 141
Cholesterol reduction......Page 145
Fat and children......Page 147
Some voices of reason......Page 148
Conclusions......Page 151
References......Page 152
Introduction......Page 156
The aims of the CAP......Page 157
Does CAP lead to economic efficiency: the optimum utilisation of factors of production?......Page 158
Does CAP ensure a fair standard of living for farmers?......Page 162
Does CAP lead to market stability?......Page 163
Does CAP assure the availability of food supplies?......Page 164
Does CAP ensure that supplies reach consumers at reasonable prices?......Page 165
The environmental consequences of the CAP......Page 168
A more rational approach to CAP reform......Page 171
Conclusions......Page 173
References......Page 174
Background: food scares and food poisoning......Page 176
Increasing affluence: hazards in consumption and production......Page 180
Protecting public health and eliminating risk......Page 182
Fear and death......Page 185
Experts versus the public......Page 186
The outrage component......Page 187
Consider the source......Page 188
If it bleeds, it leads......Page 189
Food law and the regulatory framework......Page 191
The causes of food scares......Page 193
Principal versus agent and asymmetric information......Page 194
Regulatory capture......Page 196
Empire building......Page 197
Defusing a food scare......Page 199
Genetically modified foods......Page 201
References......Page 202
Introduction......Page 205
Theoretical conflict: the cause......Page 206
Conflicting theories: the cure......Page 207
Conflicting interpretation: the evidence......Page 209
Conclusion......Page 220
References......Page 221
Summary......Page 223
Development......Page 224
Cultivation and use......Page 225
Food production......Page 227
Safeguard clause......Page 228
Conclusions......Page 229
Is there a viable alternative to public regulation?......Page 230
European regulation of genetically modified organisms – Rod Hunter......Page 231
Existing rules......Page 232
Risk assessment, classification and safety measures......Page 234
Notifications and vetting......Page 235
Emergency planning and accidents......Page 237
Risk assessment and classification......Page 238
Notification and vetting......Page 239
Deliberate release......Page 241
Scope......Page 242
Notification......Page 243
Public consultation......Page 244
Marketing......Page 245
Vetting......Page 246
Reporting......Page 247
Marketing release decisions......Page 248
Proposed amended directive......Page 249
Occupational health and safety regulation......Page 251
Consumer safety regulation – novel foods......Page 252
Authorisations......Page 254
Notifications......Page 255
Labelling......Page 256
Safeguard clause......Page 259
Conclusion......Page 260
Appendix......Page 261
References......Page 265
Section 3 : So what is the solution?......Page 266
Introduction......Page 268
How this chapter is organised......Page 269
The old and new control strategies command-and-control versus marketable permits......Page 270
Grappling with the problems......Page 273
Permits, point, and non-point pollution......Page 274
How do we get to permit trading from where we are?......Page 277
Permit trading under current conditions......Page 282
Final thoughts on the evolving system......Page 285
Notes......Page 287
References......Page 288
Summary......Page 291
A historical perspective......Page 292
Factors contributing to improved food security: past lessons......Page 295
Future population growth and food supply scenarios......Page 301
Land availability......Page 303
Water......Page 306
Technologies to increase net yields......Page 307
Future prospects: the trade-off between land conversion and land productivity......Page 310
Realising the world's food potential while limiting the environmental price: policy recommendations......Page 313
Conclusion......Page 317
References......Page 320
Index......Page 326