Food Safety · The Science of Keeping Food Safe by Shaw, Ian C. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Dedication Title page Copyright page Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction

A brief history of food safety Evolution of cellular protection mechanisms

Chapter 2: Food Risk

What is risk? Measuring hazard Determining risk Acceptable risk Risk versus benefit Risk perception The precautionary principle Food risk assessment Relative risk and risk ranking Risk management Risk communication Quantitative risk assessment Take home messages

Chapter 3: Bacteria

The discovery of bacteria The biology of bacteria The bacterial ecology of food Human bacterial pathogens on food Gastroenteritis Food-borne pathogenic bacteria Take home messages

Chapter 4: Viruses

The discovery of viruses The biology of viruses Diseases caused by viruses and mechanisms of viral transmission Other food-borne viruses Take home messages

Chapter 5: Parasites

What are parasites? Flatworms – Platyhelminthes Tapeworms – Cestodes Flukes – Trematodes Nematodes Protozoa Take home messages

Chapter 6: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

The history of BSE The epidemiology of BSE in England Spongiform encephalopathies Prions The symptoms of BSE BSE cases in the UK BSE transmission and the origins of PrPSC The risk to human consumers of BSE beef – nvCJD The politics of BSE and implications for food safety worldwide BSE incidence around the world Take home messages

Chapter 7: Chemical Contaminants

Pesticides Insecticides Herbicides Fungicides Veterinary medicines Growth promoting chemicals Fertilisers Natural environmental chemicals Non-agricultural environmental pollutants Residues monitoring programmes Dietary intake and risk to human consumers Take home messages

Chapter 8: Natural Toxins

Why produce natural toxins? Natural toxins in the human food chain Plant toxins Mycotoxins Phytohaemagglutinins in beans Bacterial toxins Phytoestrogens Take home messages

Chapter 9: Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

The first observations of xenoestrogens’ effects Estrogen receptors – ERs Molecular requirements for estrogenicity Estrogens are present in both males and females Xenoestrogens Population level effects of exposure to xenoestrogens The positive health effects of xenoestrogens Take home messages

Chapter 10: Genetically Modified Food

A brief introduction to nucleic acids, genetics and molecular biology Nucleic acids Converting the genetic code into a protein The history of GM crops The tools of the genetic engineer Glyphosate-resistant crops Insect-protected crops – BT toxin GM crops with enhanced flavour or nutritional properties What happens if humans eat GM crops or foods made from them? Changed biochemistry in GM crops What is the effect of eating DNA and RNA? GM animals Take home messages

Chapter 11: Colours, Flavours and Preservatives

Food colours Flavours Preservatives Take home messages

Chapter 12: Food Irradiation

Different types of radioactivity How irradiation kills cells The history of food irradiation The effect of radiation on microorganisms How is food irradiated? The effects of irradiation on food chemistry The effects of irradiation on vitamins Radiation dose Does irradiation make food radioactive? Health effects of food irradiation The use of food irradiation around the world Take home messages

Chapter 13: Food Safety and the Unborn Child

‘You are what your mother ate’ Growth and development of the embryo and fetus Effects of food chemical contaminants Effects of microbiological contaminants Effects on ova and sperm Take home messages

Chapter 14: Organic Food

What does ‘organic’ mean? The history and philosophy of organic farming Demand for organic food Organic farming methods Organic farming legislation Organic fertilisers Organic pest control Organic weed control Animal health remedies Food processing Is organic food better for you? Myths and facts about organic food Take home messages

Chapter 15: Food Allergy

What is an allergy? The basics of immunology Immunity and the immune response Sensitisation Food allergies The genetics of allergy Food allergens Milk allergy Peanut allergy Soy allergy Nut allergies Seafood allergies Gluten allergy (coeliac disease) Allergy to eggs Allergen cross-reactivity Banana/latex allergy Food additives allergy Why is the incidence of food allergies increasing? A cautionary note Take home messages

Chapter 16: Food Legislation

Legal processes – how laws are made A very brief history of food law Food legislation around the world Food legislation in the USA Food legislation in the UK Food legislation in New Zealand Policing food legislation Does food legislation reduce risks to consumers? Case example – non-compliance follow-up The relevance of national food legislation in a global food market Take home messages

Index Plates