Title: Safe or not safe : deciding what risks to accept in our environment and food /
Authors: Pechan, Paul.; Pechan, Paul.
Publisher: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC,
Year: 2011
Subjects: Food Safety measures; Food industry and trade Safety measures; Food science; Food Biotechnology Safety measures; Environmental risk assessment.
Abstract: Safe or Not Safe aims to present a comprehensive picture of food-related risk issues, as observed in daily life. Included are numerous real-life examples showing how scientists measure, assess, evaluate and manage potential risks, and how this helps us to decide how to manage our food chain and ultimately the food we eat. The book is divided into four interrelated chapters. Chapter one deals with risk: Risk examples are given from our daily life, illustrating what we need to know about risks and how to manage them. Chapter two addresses the risks to biodiversity. Chapter three investigates the risks chemical contaminants pose to our health through the food chain. The final chapter reviews the last three decades of creating genetically engineered food, focusing not only on the science behind the technology, but also on issues, such as consumer choice and rights, politics, product usefulness, and the availability of alternatives. Aimed especially at food science professionals and educators, undergraduate and graduate students, health professionals, and an interested general public will also benefit greatly from this resource.--Back cover.
Contents: 1. Risks. Why are we writing about this topic? -- Risk as a science topic and expected impact on the society : What is risk? ; Varying concepts of risk ; Basic components of risk ; Characteristics of risks in the modern world: new challenges to risk governance ; The integration of perceptions and social concerns -- Analysis of the risk issues involved : How to deal with systemic risks? ; The 'traditional' understanding of risk governance ; The need for an integrated framework of risk governance ; Risk management styles according to different regulatory styles of risk governance -- Stakeholder and public involvement : Stakeholder involvement and the synthesis of conflicting perspectives ; Coping with the plurality of knowledge and values ; International challenges when dealing with transboundary risks -- Premises for successful risk governance : Organizational capacity to deal with risks ; Prerequisites of good governance; Principles of the governance of systemic risks -- 2. Biodiversity at risk. Why are we writing about this topic? -- Why is biodiversity important for the world and for everyday life? -- Science and background: Simple risks to biodiversity ; Complex risks to biodiversity ; Uncertain risks to biodiversity ; Ambiguous risks to biodiversity -- What do we do with what we know?: Risk assessment ; Risk management ; Risk communication -- Future perspectives.