Introduction: table d'hote or a la carte? - 1. Hors-d'oeuvres and entrees. - 2. Cooking school primer: molecular genetics for everyone. - 3. Home cooking! DIY guide to genetic engineering. - 4. Salad days? Conventional and GM foods. - 5. Food: the offal truth. - 6. The issues - where's the beef? - 7. Figure it out. - 8. 'More wine, sir?': the role of science in regulation. - 9. Not on the table: the really scary stuff. - 10. 'Waiter, what do you recommend?': who's serving my best interests? - 11. More small fry and red herrings. - 12. 'Waiter, I can't understand the menu': labelling problems. - 13. 'Waiter, can't I have a GM-free meal?' - 14. 'The chef does not share his recipes': intellectual property and GM technology. - 15. Just desserts. - 16. Post-prandial delights: some resources. - Glossary and abbreviations. - Index.

Amidst the many ethical and environmental questions now being raised by recent advances in GM foods, molecular geneticist and experienced researcher Alan McHughen provides an insider's account of the science that is often misunderstood or misrepresented by popular media. Exposing the risks, benefits, and myths surrounding GM technology, he provides the much-needed voice of reason that will help you make sense of the controversy and the new choices available at your local grocery store. Explaining the science behind genetic modification with the general reader in mind, this book answers vital questions: is GM food safe? Will genetically modified organisms (GMOs) harm the environment?; covers a wide range of today's GM issues, from labels on GM foods to wider environment concerns; provides much-neede, accurate information to the public debate about GM foods. - Back cover.