Sacred Cow, Mad Cow: A History of Food Fears

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Ferrieres, Madeleine. Sacred Cow, Mad Cow: A History of Food Fears. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006.

From the markets of medieval Europe to the slaughterhouses of twentieth-century Chicago, Madeleine Ferrières traces the origins of present-day behavior toward what we eat as she explores the panics, myths, and ever-shifting attitudes regarding food and its safety. She demonstrates that food fears have been inspired not only by safety concerns but also by cultural, political, and religious prejudices. […] Drawing on history, folklore, agriculture, and anthropology, Ferrières tells us how our decisions about what not to eat reflect who we are. — Columbia University Press website.