Food Research Ethics

Abstract

Awareness and application of ethical principles has been increasingly highlighted as an essential consideration that must be addressed in all areas of ­scientific research and their translation into commercial applications. Ethical considerations are also very important in relation to global trade and development aid. This has direct application to the whole spectrum of interests related to Food, be it research into new products and processes, consumer behaviour, health claims, supply chain, farming methods, food safety, security, sustainability, regulation, trade and emergency food aid. In all these areas ethics has a part to play and frequently gives rise to questions and challenges to issues and practices that may not previously have been considered.

The area of food and nutrition is extremely diverse. While much of this paper will focus on ethical issues related to food research. However, there will also be some consideration of the ethical questions that need to be considered when addressing the broader policy and regulatory issues related to food security, safety, sustainability and trade. The purpose of this paper is therefore to help provide Food experts, be they researchers, producers, regulators or policy-makers, with an opportunity to consider and reflect upon the ethical issues which may need to be taken into account in the application of their particular area of expertise. Some of the issues considered in this paper have emerged from my work as a member of a European Commission expert group developing a guidance document on food research for the European Framework Programme for Research [Ethics and food-related research – a guidance note: European Commission FP7 Ethical Rules (in preparation)].