Big Bad food..

Another week , another Big (Bad)Food story....

With the approach of Halloween ,yet more self inflicted outrage descends on Big Food.

Cue yet more " why did the chicken cross the road ?" type jokes... seriously food and drink industry people, what's going on?


Big Food does not automatically equal bad food, either nutritionally or ethically, and could even be a force for a better world..

The reality of an urban world which is the reality for the majority of people worldwide, is that at a basic level most of us are now essentially reliant on others to produce and distribute the food we buy.

So how come there is so much mistrust if not downright hostility to the larger companies who provide most of what we eat... and how much of the suspicion is justified?

Are the bosses of Big Food really all evil people hell bent on killing us all in the name of a quick buck? who is forcing us all as consumers into dangerous and unhealthy food choices? Is there an unbiaised and trustworthy voice out there ?

Consider GMO crops for instance..I'm not a scientist and simply can't get a clear view amidst all the invective on whether they could play a big role in combatting famine , or whether they are part of a dastardly, commercially driven plot to enslave farmers and turn us all into mutants.

There is unfortunately too much evidence of dubious practices across the production and distribution parts of the supply chain for the food industry to simply ignore or shrug them off.. More concerning is whether these failings are systemic short cuts driven by management , criminality pure and simple , or whether they occur when employees get it wrong occasionally.

Is the answer to tax,restrict or even ban all "unhealthy" foods, treating them the same as alcohol and tobacco? Or outlawing the unnecessary use of pesticides antibiotics or ingredients? Is the use of Blockchain technology for purposes of transparency and traceability as powerful a force for good as proponents would suggest ?

To oversimplify the big picture solutions: If consumers are sufficiently educated on diet and nutrition to make considered and informed decisions the demand for more unhealthy foods should begin to reduce.
Similarly ,once consumers are better informed about what has gone into the food they are eating they are more likely to reject unethical practices , unecessary ingredients and additives and vote with their wallets.