The production, marketing and exportation of food is particularly important to the Irish economy. The sector continues to grow and has played a very significant role in Ireland’s financial recovery. This important new book provides a much needed overview of the field. It traces the history and development of the fledgling system of food law as it was in Ireland during colonial times and the Irish Free State, through to an examination of the current dynamic relationship between International, European Union and domestic laws on matters such as food safety, food labelling and advertising, protected food names, hygiene and food contamination. The book also contains detailed assessments of the ways in which the law is used to address current health concerns, such as those related to nutrition, obesity and alcohol abuse, as well as such issues as food fraud, animal welfare, organics and the use of technologies like genetic modification, cloning and nanotechnology in food production.

This book has that broad spectrum of appeal and I would commend it to anyone, in or outside of Ireland, who wants to be informed about the many and varied issues relating international, EU and national food law and policy. -- Ian Thomas * European Food and Feed Law Review *

Caoimhín MacMaoláin is Associate Professor of Law and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin.