Due to the exploitation of chemical and technological advances, America's most successful food producers have become powerful multi-national enterprises. With their achievement has come the ability to command how our farm goods are produced, processed, and priced for consumption. These conglomerates also possess enough buying power to influence U.S. legislative policy to the disservice of the American consumer.
The Vulnerability of the American Consumer
FOOD INC divides a multitude of issues into chapters, such as how our packaged meats are processed to how corn crops are manipulated to how factory-raised animals and plant workers are mistreated. This socially-minded doc truly is a rude education about the unsavory origins of processed food before it's delivered onto supermarket shelves. To go into more detail would spoil the film's dramatic impact. It does suffice to say that it will compel you to change your grocery shopping habits.
“There is this deliberate veil, this curtain that’s drawn between us and where our food is coming from. The industry doesn’t want you to know the truth about what you’re eating because if you knew, you might not want to eat it.” – Eric Schlosser, author of “Fast Food Nation”.
The Reign Of Junk Food And The Rise Of The Organic Movement
The catalyst for the nation’s conventional agriculture business evolution into a massive system of factory farms was the fast food industry. When these restaurant chains adopted an inexpensive factory system for food preparation, they reaped great economic gains.
Their success made them the largest customers of food producers, from tomatoes to beef. In order to maintain their brand’s product consistency, the food chain magnates used their weight to control their suppliers, and dictated how their food supplies were manufactured.
This led to the industrialization of our farms, and the chemical manipulation and genetic modification of our store-brought groceries. Traditional farmers and their sustainable practices are struggling against large farm factories and food manufacturers.
However, the ultimate power remains in the purchasing habits of the consumer. The public’s ever-growing nutritional and environmental shift to consuming natural and organic products has made a substantial impact on food suppliers and their mega supermarket chain clients.
Other concerns brought to light are the failings of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the impotence of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The frailties of these governmental agencies place the population at risk from the rise of unsafe foods delivered to the marketplace.
The Main Ingredients
Based on the non-fiction book Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, penned by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser. With interviews from Eric Schlosser and the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan. Additional commentaries provided by food experts, farmers, businessmen, government representatives, food safety advocates and Wal-Mart food buyers.
Directed by Robert Kenner. Director of Photography Richard Pearce. Edited by Kim Roberts. Music by Mark Adler. Produced by Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein. Executive Producers are William Pohlad. Robin Schorr, Jeff Skoll and Diane Weyermann. Released by Magnolia Pictures.
(Running Time: 94 min)
(Rated: PG, for some thematic material and disturbing images.)
