
Sample from the media any week and you’ll soon realize that Americans are bombarded with information and opinions on food—from TV segments on overeating and obesity to newspaper and magazine articles on genetically modified crops and animal rights. Food is also discussed as an element of style and as high art, as contributing to our definitions of who we are, as a source (or lack of it) of conflict, and as a means to punish and reward. What are we to make of this avalanche of often-conflicting chatter?
We have come a long way since the days of our grandparents and great- grandparents, when “everything in moderation” was the rule and when most people were thinner, less choosy about what they ate, and often happy just to have a meal on the table. We can’t return to those simpler times, of course, although the slow food movement is making a valiant effort to convince us to it’s possible.
With more than 6 billion mouths to feed worldwide (300 million in the United States alone), it should not surprise us that food production has turned into a high-tech industry. Without advances in food technology and distribution, the foods we eat would look, taste, and chemically be very different than they are today. At the same time, corporations, marketers, and advertisers tempt us with food products that would have been unimaginable just a few generations ago.
The food chain is now so complex that we have little or no connection to the source of our sustenance. And what we don’t know might just be hurting us.
Consumers could be forgiven for thinking that they’re receiving mixed, often convoluted messages about food. Indeed, the moral issues alone present a potential labyrinth for consumers who care about what they eat yet cannot necessarily afford, or access, the most healthful, least morally charged food products available. Purchasing a pound of shrimp at the seafood counter, a “natural” chicken, or even a bag of “organic” carrots can raise serious questions about how these foodstuffs are produced and marketed.
A couple of examples illustrate the complexity of the issues.
Most nutrition experts tell us that eating seafood is a healthful alternative to eating meat. But what a lot of consumers don’t know is that fish stocks around the world are being seriously depleted. Furthermore, farm-raised seafood are fed huge amounts of artificial nutrients. Certain species of fish can also harbor dangerous levels of potentially harmful contaminants. Then there’s the moral argument. Is eating seafood really that different from turning a fattened animal into steaks and hamburger meat?
What about organic food? The rapid growth of the organic food industry, including organic-based supermarkets, supports the commonly held belief that many of us are concerned about what we eat, but it also highlights a gap in our perception versus the reality: No one has ever proven that organic food is better for us. Sure, it may taste better, but the jury’s still out on whether it helps people live longer. The burgeoning supply of organic food—on soon-be-stocked shelves at Wal-Mart to the kitchens of some of the top restaurants in the country—is evidence that food producers, advertisers, and marketers have all increased their profits as a result of the boon in organic food production. Judging by what is discussed in the media, the debate is just beginning over the value of “going organic,” and it’s going to reveal some interesting views.
As with any major trend, the mainstreaming of organic food has resulted in the watering down of the original concept. A trip to the Central or Imperial Valley of California will convince you. The “organic” farming occurring here today is on a scale—and uses such large amounts of energy—that it would make the early proponents of organic production cringe and long for the days of food co-ops.
Another important food issue that’s swept the country in recent years is the rise in childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, now seen by experts to be at epidemic levels. We can probably take heart in recent decisions by several major drinks manufacturers and distributors to stop the sale of sugar-laden soft drinks in schools. This is a direct response to the mounting health crisis. Some companies, including a start-up by the name of Healthy Handfuls (profiled in this issue of g-Think), are also attempting to provide and market healthful, tasty alternatives to traditional snacks. All of these moves are to be lauded as examples of ways Awakening Consumers are demanding more healthful alternatives.
This issue of g-Think takes a look at what consumers are thinking about when it comes to food, and how the marketplace is responding. Among the topics discussed are
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