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Food Justice

Use this guide to find information about all aspects of food justice including food safety and insecurity, food politics, and genetically organisms.

United Nations World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize

Genetically Modified Organisms

"Genetically modified organisms are living organisms whose genetic compositions have been altered through technology. Organisms can be engineered for use in scientific research, human and veterinary medicine, industry, agriculture, and environmental remediation. Despite the beneficial applications, potential risks and ethical issues associated with the technology have led to controversy and restricted its use in some countries."

"Genetically Modified Organisms and Environmentalism." Principles of Sustainability, Salem Press/Grey House, 2018, pp. 167-169. Principles of Science. Gale eBooks,

 

Food Politics

"The extraordinary size of the food enterprise and the vast sums at stake readily explain the ferocity of debates about dietary advice to the public, health claims on food package labels, regulations for meat safety, nutritional requirements for school meals, and labeling of genetically modified foods, to cite just a few examples. Debates over such issues derive from the disparate interests of the principal stakeholders in the food system, including the food industry and the consuming public of course but also government regulators, public health officials, and nutrition researchers and educators. Because all stakeholders should benefit from a food supply that is adequate, healthful, safe, environmentally sound, culturally appropriate, affordable, and delicious, the interests of these groups might appear to be congruent. The food industry, however, has an additional and compelling interest—to sell products. The conflict between the commercial interests of food companies and the widely varying concerns of other stakeholders is a principal reason why food issues are so controversial."

Encyclopedia of Food and Culture

                Ed. Solomon H. Katz. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. p689-691.                        COPYRIGHT 2003 Charles Scribner's Sons, COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale     Marion Nestle

Food Safety

"Experts disagree about whether food is safer today than it was in the past, but they agree that ensuring safe food has become more complex than at any other point in history. Although we have solved many of the food safety challenges of the past, new problems have developed. We farm, live, and eat differently than we did in the past, and this creates new niches for food-borne illnesses to occupy. In addition, there are other potential threats such as food additives, pesticides, hormones in milk and cattle, overuse of antibiotics in farm animals, genetically engineered plants, and risks associated with bioterrorism."

Encyclopedia of Contemporary American Social Issues

                 Ed. Michael Shally-Jensen. Vol. 4: Environment, Science, and Technology. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. p1413-1431.                         COPYRIGHT 2011 ABC-CLIO, LLC     Nina Redman

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