Whenever I step into an aeroplane I cannot avoid considering the risks associated with flying. Thoughts of mechanical failure, pilot error and ter­ rorist action fill my mind. I try to reassure myself with statistics which tell me there is greater chance of injury crossing the road. The moment the plane takes off I am resigned to my fate, placing faith in pilots who are highly qualified and superbly trained for the task of delivering me safely to my destination. To be a passenger in an aeroplane is to express faith in the systems used by the airline. It is to express a faith in the quality of the airline's organisation and the people who work within it. The same is true of surgery. Thoughts of mortality are difficult to avoid when facing the surgeon's knife. However, faith in the surgeon's training and skill; faith in the anaesthetist and theatre technicians, faith in the efficient resources and quality of the hospital all help to convince that there is little need to worry. Apart from flying and surgery there are many facets of life which entail risk, but, knowing the risks, we willingly place our confidence in others to deliver us safely. In the consumption of food, however, few of us consider the risks. Everyday, if we are fortunate, we eat food. Food sustains and gives us pleasure. Food supports our social interactions.