Last night, I had this free time and was able to watch this 2008 documentary called FOOD, Inc. It is all about the evolution of how raw materials were produced from backyard industry to a highly mechanized system now a days... and some of the many consequences of these technological "progress" to the environment, economy, nature and to our own health.
The world population is increasing year after year. This therefore post an increase in demand for food. Thus, different food companies are doing ways in order to meet this demand... in the first place, demand = profit. That is what businesses are for, profit. Isn't it?
I am a Food Technologist. Food technologists are generally trained to conduct researches for the development of a product and to ensure the quality and safety of foods that will be distributed for consumption by the public. When we go to a supermarket, there is a wide array of foods that we can choose. There are a lot of instant foods, ready-to-eat and just-add-water kind of foods. As a food technologist, I can say that we are part of the team that developed this product. Having to say this, I do not know if I should be proud or should I be ashamed. Yes, indeed. I have these some kind of guilt inside me. After watching the documentary, though I know I haven't produced or develop a product that was already in the market, still something is bothering me.
Why?
Because whenever I hear people talking about being sick due to unhealthy diet, part of the blame is on the producer's side. I know that each and everyone of us should learn how to control and be able to choose the foods that we should be taking in, but food companies are actually giving these people the idea and providing them with junk foods. Yes, I call them junk because they do no good in a person's health.
In the documentary, they presented that there is a sudden rise in the consumption of corn in US due to its potential of being converted to high value products like high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). There is mass production. And what do we learn from our economics class? The greater the production, the lesser will be the cost of the product. Thus, people are into these processed foods because they are actually A LOT cheaper than organic fruits and veggies. However, if we take a deep look at it.. yes, we may have lower the cost of the product but we fail to take into account the HEALTH COST, ENVIRONMENTAL COST, etc. Let us also take into account the development of more resistant microorganisms due to the constant use of antibiotics to increase yield.
There are actually lot of things that happen between that hamburger you are eating now and how it is actually produced.
So, what can I do? What can we do?
We should remember that being consumers, we are important. We are the ones that make this big companies become multi-million rich companies. We have this right of demanding for a healthier and safe foods and proper labeling of the product. These business people would give what their consumers are asking.. because if not, what happens to their billion/million dollor worth of campanies? See, consumers should be controlling what the food industry is producing. We can and We SHOULD. Buy only from those companies that are concerned with the welfare not just of their consumers but also of their production workers.
As a food technologist, I say to myself that I will only work for companies that are consumer and environmentally friendly and those that are pro-workers. Also, I will only develop products which I see healthy not just for people but also to the environment.
And oh yeah, after this documentary YOU'LL NEVER LOOK AT DINNER THE SAME WAY AGAIN.
