Toxic Hazards in Food

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-4

   PDF

2. Systemic Toxicity Due to Foodstuffs

   • D. M. Conning

   Pages 5-21

3. Intolerance and Allergy to Foods and Food Additives: Its Relevance to Toxicology

   • W. E. Parish

   Pages 22-72

4. Teratogenicity and Reduced Fertility Resulting from Factors Present in Food

   • A. B. G. Lansdown

   Pages 73-121

5. Carcinogens in Food

   • P. Grasso

   Pages 122-144

6. The Mutagenicity of Food

   • D. Anderson, I. F. H. Purchase

   Pages 145-182

7. The Gastrointestinal Tract in Food Toxicology

   • I. R. Rowland, R. Walker

   Pages 183-274

8. Food Allergies: Clinical Aspects and Natural Allergens

   • J. R. Mansfield

   Pages 275-291

9. Back Matter

   Pages 292-297

   PDF

In the world of plentiful, cheap food that so many of us in the Western World have come to accept as our birthright, it takes sensational journalism and horrific television coverage to make us realise that not all of the world's population shares this abundance. Visits to the Soviet Bloc countries, to China, most African states and various other coun­ tries of the Third World make one quickly realise that widespread shortage of food is just over the horizon and would be common experi­ ence to all were it not for the advanced technologies of Western agricul­ ture, food production and food manufacture. Without doubt, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals have made enormous contributions to world food production - and indeed to world peace. The introduction of many food additives, especially antioxidants, has also contributed greatly to the amount and quality of food which is available, preventing early spoilage and waste, and possibly indirectly contributing to man's health, as these antioxidants have been shown to have beneficial proper­ ties in the prevention of experimental malignancy and cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, despite the enormous benefits derived from the use of agrochemicals and food additives, it is essential to remember that these are all selectively toxic chemicals, with no absolute guarantee of safety, and where the benefit to risk ratio is always a compromise adjusted by the expediency of political and financial aspects of food production.

• alcohol
• allergy
• antibody
• cancer
• cardiovascular disease
• health
• immunosuppression
• metabolism
• minerals
• pesticide
• prevention
• toxicity
• toxicology

• British Industrial Biological Research Association, Carshalton, Surrey, UK

  David M. Conning

• Department of Pathology, Life Science Research, Stock, Essex, UK

  A. B. G. Lansdown

Policies and ethics