Globalisation and Regulation of Food Risks

Globalisation and Regulation of Food Risks

As globalisation process covers more and more aspects of life and

includes food, it becomes increasingly important to develop consistent

theoretical perspectives on this process. In this paper I will first

identify different theoretical views on globalisation and build on the

views of Giddens and Castells to analyse the globalisation of food

production and consumption. This will lead to the identification of

structural tensions in the regulatory options in this globalising

agri-food networks. The concept of agri-food networks is introduced to

analyse the tension between global and local regulation of food

production and consumption.

1. Introduction.

Regulating the environmental consequences of food production and

consumption as well as the safety of food is no longer the sole

responsibility of independent national states. The development and

implementation of the regulation of food is increasingly influenced by

processes in other, sometimes distant, places. Global trade, including

food trade, has grown rapidly during the last decades leading to a

search for new ways to regulate the impacts on the environment and

safety of food production and consumption. Thus the regulation of food

is globalising, like many other aspects of people's lives and

understanding the changing practices of regulation needs to based on a

consistent social science analysis. There are however different

theoretical perspectives on globalisation within the social sciences

and I will review them to identify the most promising views to analyse

the regulation of food risks. Whereas some theorists see globalisation

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... of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and minimisation of

damage to the environment and wildlife. And fair trade tries to

transform North/South trade to a vehicle of sustainable development.

(Raynolds, 2000)

[16] 'Around 3.800 additives are used in our daily food, for three

basic purposes. First, there are cosmetic chemicals that make products

look more attractive to the senses, especially colouring agents,

flavours, sweeteners and texture modifiers, such as emulsifiers and

stabilisers. Second, there are preservatives, including antioxidants

and sequestrants, which add life to a product. Third, processing aids

assist the manufacturing process, for instance by preventing food from

sticking to machinery. About 380 of these additives had officially

been approved by the EU by 1987.' (Atkins and Bowler, (2001) p. 215)