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Risk: safety is just the start if we want good regulation
Transgenic crops are being put forward as a solution to the food crisis. The controversies that dogged their introduction, at least in Europe, are being dismissed as dangerous distractions. This paper analyses the risk associated with food safety regulation versus genetically modified (GM) food production. It is argued that European Food safety regulation was in flux before the GM controversy. The EU and many member states introduced a new division of labour between government departments responsible for promoting the food industry and those in charge of making sure it was safe. This has led to the recognition of ‘risk assessment policy’ through which social framing assumptions shape various aspects of risk assessment, and increased attention to divergent values associated with the outputs of risk assessment. Outside Europe, very different approaches to regulating the risks from GMOs have been adopted, with perhaps the most fundamental differences associated with labelling. Labelling of GM products, central to food sovereignty concerns, began in Europe in 1998, as retailers sought to preserve consumer trust in their own brands. EU legislation later standardized requirements across different firms and Member States. Europe is still grappling with the co-existence challenges that this legislation raises.
History
Publication status
- Published
Journal
Food EthicsISSN
1753-9056Publisher
Food Ethics CouncilPublisher URL
Issue
3Volume
3Page range
6-8Pages
3.0Department affiliated with
- SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications
Notes
Published in magazine: Food Ethics.Full text available
- No
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2012-02-06Usage metrics
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