Poisoned Food?

School Library Journal

A generally sensationalized treatment of a timely issue. An oversized, tabloid format is used to present information about various methods by which poison may be present in food. Included are topics such as herbicides, breeding farms, meat-packing plants, food additives, irradiated food, and others. Abundant full-color photographs are informative and attractive, but make the book appear to be for a younger audience than the text indicates. The allegation that 60% of chickens on sale contain salmonella is but one sweeping indictment that is made without citing a source for the information. There is a statement that ``some additives are under suspicion of producing harmful side effects,'' but the offending additives are not named. A lack of cohesiveness pervades the presentation. Briticisms are used, and many British examples are cited. While types of food poisonings are worthy topics for discussion, a more organized and fully documented approach is needed. --Lois McCulley, Wichita Falls High School, TX