Toxic Hazards in Food

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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.