Continuing legal barriers to international food trade

Abstract

International trade in food has been ongoing for millennia. However, despite the activities of certain global organisations whose aim is to harmonise food standards to ensure free trade, there are numerous barriers to trade that occur worldwide. These include inconsistencies in food legislation between countries or regions; inconsistencies in agricultural and production practices; barriers relating to the accepted composition of, and ingredients in, foods; differences in acceptance of new technologies, such as food irradiation, genetic modification and nanotechnology; and health risk scares owing to contamination, adulteration or communicable diseases. Whilst the need for a fully harmonised global trade in food has not been disputed, the reality is that it is not likely to be achieved within the next two decades.