The 'Holiness Code': food safety regulations or religious compunction?

Microbiology, the study of microorganisms, has dictated food handling policy in the food and beverage industry for many years. Food handling, storage, preparation and service practices have been regulated in line with the discovery of bacteria and bacterial effects on human health. The discovery of micro-organisms in food, however, did not occur until after the invention of the microscope. Prior to this, no scientific proof of the existence of micro-organisms was available. This article argues that some of the principles of food handling in common use today were already being practiced in biblical times. The article explores the links between the instructions given to the people of Israel and modern food handling practices, highlighting some of the underlying issues between food safety, on the one hand, and conformity to religious doctrine, on the other