Abstract
Japan has been hit by many food safety and false labeling scandals based on dishonesty and/or falsehood. The nature of the Japanese public as “being too trusting” tends to make matters worse and accelerates a mindset of abnormal precaution as food scandals shatter the “food safety myth. ” In fact, this leads people to pursue a zero-risk attitude towards food safety which is scientifically unobtainable. Other food concerns involve ethical issues of food distribution. For example, the over-importing of food from developing nations puts a strain on the developing nation to feed its own people. Another example would be health damage (nausea and/or diarrhea) caused after trying a poorly researched diet as aired on one of Japan's health food TV programs. Clinical chemists have worked together and contributed much to the realm of food safety together with clinicians, but their role should be expanded to include not only the field of analytical chemistry, but to also include the sociological and philosophical aspects of food and food distribution. This requires the proposal of a new term “ESCAOLOGY. ” The concept of a Virtual Institute for Escaology is also proposed in order for clinical chemists to work together in full cooperation.
