Precaution,institutions,incentives,heuristics,regulation and hormesis: Comments on `Hormesis in precautionary regulatory culture: models preferences and the advancement of science'

Kahneman D. , Tversky A. Prospect theory: an analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica 1979; XVLII: 263—91.

Ropiek DR Forum: Biotechnology Regulation. Issues in Science and Technology, 2000, 17(2). Available at: http://www.issues.org/17.2/forum.htm

Morris J. The precautionary principle and biotechnology. Int J Biotechnol 2002; 4(1): 46—61.

Goklany I. Affluence, technology and well-being. Case Western Reserve Law Rev 2002; 53: 369—90.

John Adams argues that we have an innate `risk thermostat' and that as one risk is removed, so we seek out others. Adams, J Risk. 1995 UCL Press

Food Standards Agency. BSE Controls Final Report 2000. Available at: http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/bse/what/about/report/repcontents

BBC. Cancer Scare over Belgian Chickens. 1999, May 31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/357529.stm ; Bates, S. Coke is Banned under Safety Scare. The Guardian. 1999, 16 June. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,205762,00.html

BBC. France Warned over Animal Feed. 1999, October 23. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/482625.stm

BBC. Hundreds die from Bhopal Chemical Disaster . 1984, December 3. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/3/newsid_2698000/2698709.stm ; HSE : Icmesa Chemical Company, Seveso, Italy, 9th July, 1976. No date. Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/sragtech/caseseveso76.htm

Downs A. An economic theory of democracy. Harper, 1957.

Food Standards Agency : Sudan 1 Timeline. 2005. Available at: http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/sudani/sudanitimeline. Food Standards Agency. Para Red: latest news, advice and recalls. 2005. Available at: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2005/may/parared

The Sudan 1 die was present at concentrations of 3 mg/kg in Worcester sauce and 80 mg/kg in chilli — see Commission Memo (MEMO/05/67) , 2005, 25 February, available at http://www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/news/eu-05015.htm — yet rodent tests show no carcinogenic impact when Sudan 1 was fed to rats in quantities of 30 mg/kg of body mass, according to Imperial College toxicologist Prof. Alan Boobis — see: Derbyshire, D. Contradiction, Hype and a Question of Risk , Daily Telegraph , 2005, 23 February. To achieve body mass levels of even 3 mg/kg in humans would require the consumption of more chilli and/or worcester sauce than is imaginable. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the EU Commission report used much higher levels (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg in rats; 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg in mice) in order to justify its assertion that Sudan 1 is carcinogenic and genotoxic — see: The EFSA Journal . 2005; 263: 1—71.

Christine Seib. Premier Foods faces £100 m bill for Sudan 1. The Times, 2005, February 26. Available at: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9065-1501124,00.html

Kealey T. The economic laws of scientific research, Palgrave MacMillan , 1996.

Sunstein CR Precautions Against What? The Availability Heuristic and Cross-Cultural Risk Perceptions. 2004. University of Chicago Law School : John M. Olin Law and Economics Working Paper No. 20. at 13.