Safe or not safe
Subtitle: deciding what risks to accept in our environment and food
By: Paul Pechan ... [et al.].
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2011
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 145
ISBN-13: 9781441978677; 9781441978684
Subjects: Food; Environmental risk assessment; Safety measures
Description: 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.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: 1. Risks. Why are we writing about this topic?; title: 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; title: 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; title: 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; title: Premises for successful risk governance : Organizational capacity to deal with risks ; Prerequisites of good governance; Principles of the governance of systemic risks; title: 2. Biodiversity at risk. Why are we writing about this topic?; title: Why is biodiversity important for the world and for everyday life?; title: Science and background: Simple risks to biodiversity ; Complex risks to biodiversity ; Uncertain risks to biodiversity ; Ambiguous risks to biodiversity; title: What do we do with what we know?: Risk assessment ; Risk management ; Risk communication; title: Future perspectives; title: 3. Chemical contaminants in food : Why are we writing about this book; title: Chemical contaminants and expected impact; title: Why is the study of health effects caused by contaminants important?; title: Dioxin: description and origin : Detecting and assessing the effects of dioxins ; Dioxin: impact on humans/animals ; Dioxin effects in humans ; Sources of dioxin exposure ; Pollution/accidents ; General pollution ; Food-related accidents ; The Baltic Sea ; Routes of dioxin exposure ; Food: baby/adult ; Mechanisms of action of dioxin and dioxin-like chemicals ; Mechanism of action of AhR; title: Managing risk : the toxic equivalent factors; title: Future perspectives; title: 4. The food choices we make. Why am I writing about this topic?; title: Why have genetically modified food? Why is it important for the world? : History: the big picture; title: GM crops and food : When first grown? ; How much is being grown and where? ; Why grow them? ; What is different about creating GM crops from new conventional crops? ; How safe?; title: How genetic engineering works : Understanding the principles of genetics ; The role of DNA, RNA, and proteins ; Enzymes and DNA manipulation ; Living cells: plant regeneration from single cells ; DNA delivery into plant cells ; Development of verification methodologies ; Detection and identification of GMO; title: Risk governance: what do we do to make sure GM crops are safe? : Risk assessment ; What happens if risk assessment does not lead to clear answers?; title: Risk management : Risk management in the face of uncertainty: the use of the precautionary principle ; Political dimension of the precautionary principle ; Why should precautionary principle be applied to GM crops and their products? ; When should the precautionary principle be triggered? ; What happens when precautionary principle is invoked? ; Application of the precautionary principle to GM crops in Europe ; Precautionary principle impact on innovation and as a tool for reaching international trade agreements ; Concluding comments; title: Communicating GMO issues : The challenge of communicating risk issues ; Attitudes to risks concerning GM crops and products ; Why communicate GMO issues ; Who should do the communicating and where should it take place? ; What should be communicated; title: Addressing potential risks of GM crops: case study of Germany : Public opinion and media ; Politics ; Regulations ; Risk assessment, politics, and decision making ; Future prospects.