Food Additives: Pros, Cons, and Some Ideas for the Future

To address what distinguishes the food of a western diet, Pollan compares whole foods and processed foods. He quotes Gyorgy Scrinis and concludes to himself “instead of worrying about nutrients, we should simply avoid any food that has been processed to such an extent that it is more the product of industry than nature (Pollan, 438). Pollan agrees with Scrinis for avoiding processed foods, but he complicates it by mentioning that all whole foods are taken over by industrial processes. Again Pollan reminds the reader that escaping the western diet will not be simple,

Freedman believes we can stop this situation by using certain tools and strategies to make processed foods healthier, yet have the same taste to everything. He states in the reading, “If the food industry is to quietly sell healthier products to its mainstream, mostly non health conscious customers, it must find ways to deliver the eating experience that fat and problem carbs provide in foods that have fewer of those

Human beings survived in the distant past without the usage of these chemicals in our foods and I believe the additives in our foods are there and still not banned mainly because of economics and power and multi million dollar corporations who profit from placing these chemicals in foods that we consume, because the cost of production is lowered so much more for these corporations for exploiting these cheap unhealthy chemicals in the foods people consume and they are the only ones benefiting from placing these harmful chemicals in peoples foods and drinks. It has been proven from the studies mentioned in this paper that food additives and preservatives cause many disorders such as ADHD and I ask myself why are the chemicals still in the foods we eat? while majority of people know that it is unethical to use chemicals in the foods that human beings consume that cause and trigger many problems and disorders in certain people with certain age

Most Americans love the low cost, prepackaged, great tasting food that is convenient to buy and prepare. These prepackaged or processed foods are normally made to be faster, cheaper and usually taste great but they are loaded with bizarre, unpronounceable chemicals that, if you saw them in their pre-processed state, you would never consider putting in your mouth. Emulsifiers, preservatives, colorants, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, texturizers and even bleach can be found in most processed foods. On average, Americans spend 90% of their food budget on these types of foods which is found to contribute to the leading causes of obesity, auto immune disease, diabetes and even cancer.

A new kind of foods called the genetically modified foods has been creating a quiet revolution in the American market for the past several years. Scientists are able to produce these new foods by transferring genes from one organism into another across species boundaries. This new technique has been developed to improve the shelf life, nutritional content, flavor, color, and texture of foods. Since 1994, about 45 genetically modified foods such as tomato, corn, soybeans, canola, and potatoes have been marketed in the United States. About two-thirds of foods that are processed in U.S. contain genetically modified ingredients. So, we the people are consuming these foods without realizing the fact that they are not produced naturally.

Approximately ten thousand processed food products are introduced every year in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration does not require flavor companies to disclose the ingredients other additives so long as all the chemicals are considered by the agency to be GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe)” (Schlosser 122-125). With the use of flavor add-ins the fast food industry is been able to make their food cheaper to re-create the same taste we are used to. The author use of logos in the novel only allows for the facts to be stated and

Food, health and medical technologies have a large impact on individuals and communities today and in the future. Throughout this paper, discussion will involve the issues that society faces regarding food and health and how we can create a healthier and safer world for our future.

A possible explanation for why food production has changed so much can be that its consumers have also evolved as a society--the commercialization of agriculture has culminated this alteration within the industry. The consumer's desire to connect back with their ancestors can be easily ascertained by going to “healthier” markets like Wholefoods, among others. Pollan compares Wholefoods to a good-quality "bookstore," filled with extensive nutritional vocabulary on their packaging. However, much of it is not

There was a time where there was no limits to what substances were in products we humans consume or use everyday. It is alarming to think that there could be items in our food or medicine that are potentially dangerous and deadly. It is for these reasons that the Food and Drug Administration came to be. It all started in a time where companies could say anything they wanted about a product without any scientific validation or proof. The government stepped in and established the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906 along with a new agency: the FDA. This act's purpose was to protect the public against dangerous substances in food and from products identified as healthy without scientific support. This law was an accumulation of many bills and ideas that aimed to protect consumers from contaminated products. (The Pure Food and Drug Act) Now, the FDA conducts recalls, market withdraws, and safety alerts in order to protect the citizens.

FDA is a very important organization to inspect all food additives. FDA stands for Food and Drug Administration. It oversees a variety of products involving food, drugs, cosmetics, animal food, dietary supplements, medical devices, biological goods and blood products. It is the agency in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Protecting public health is a key priority of the FDA. Safety concerns prompt the FDA to pull one to two drugs and six to eight food and medical devices from the market annually. It is the FDA’s duty to address serious risks that can be avoided and managed. The FDA reviews the safety and effectiveness of food and medical

The genetic engineering of foods has, in one sense, been in existence for hundreds of years. The first time Gregor Mendel bred different varieties of pea plants to observe the various traits present in their offspring, the concept was born. Today, genetic engineering has developed into one of the most complex and advanced fields of scientific thinking, all the while provoking many questions and acquiring many opponents along the way. While there are compelling arguments presented for each side of the issue, the simple fact is that genetically modified (GM) foods are a reality, especially in the United States, as they are already present in many products that are consumed on a daily

Most food found in the grocery store is highly processed. Not just the ramen noodles or fruit loops, but the actual produce. Corporations use hormones, pesticides and antibiotics and genetic modification, which refer to

Have you ever seen “Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate” (Figure. 2) growing out of the ground? Today's society offers new options for meals every day. From fondue to fast food, there are new options everywhere you go. To clear up any curiosity, sodium stearoyl lactylate is a chemical added to Twinkies to make its processed ingredients more tolerable to the human body. Companies like Hostess and Kellogg’s are scientifically manipulating the human body, tricking them into being able to digest their chemical makeup of the ingredients. The true challenge when finding a place to eat is not only considering its availability, but also deciding which choice is most health conscious. Processed foods may taste good going down, but they actually contain many unnatural ingredients, if that is even their appropriate name, that can lead to obesity and health problems throughout one’s life. Many of these processed foods are, unfortunately, the most readily available. The debate of processed versus organic foods is a common conflict in society today. Whether it is due to lack of income, or pure laziness, people choose every day to put toxic, unnatural foods in their body. Some foods that appear to be healthy may not be; the real trick to healthy food is being as earth-centered as possible. Organic means coming from living matter--food in its purest form. Living an organic lifestyle is, most importantly, a better decision regarding the health and wellbeing of the

The way we eat food has changed drastically in the past few decades. When I think of the process of how our food is made and produced, I typically think of a farm with animals laying around, eating grass, content with everything. Also, I picture ripe red tomatoes, apples, and sweet smelling fruit being pick right when it is ripened so it can get to our grocery stores. This is typically how most people picture our food coming from a farm. It is how they want us to picture it, because it is a happy image: but, it is far from the reality of how things are.

Food preservatives are described as natural means or man-made chemicals that are used in foods to prevent them from spoiling. A subgroup of preservatives are food additives, which differ from preservatives in the way that additives are not only used to lengthen the life of food, but also to improve taste and appearance. The ultimate goal of preservatives and additives are to improve the quality and lifespan of food by slowing down the decomposition process using chemicals or natural methods, such as salt and dehydration.