To all appearances, Europe is at present undergoing a crisis of consumer confidence with respect to the food industry. Recent food scares, the genetically-modified food controversy, a growing public awareness of the environmental footprint of intensive farming methods, and a perceived threat to the deeply-held European cultural values surrounding diet and cuisine all have combined to expose the vulnerability of consumers in the very ordinary activity of purchasing food. Although the creation of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in February 2002 can be viewed as an EU response to this...