Food Inc Essay: The food industry is an important part of our everyday life. It is the third largest sector in the US, with over $1 trillion in annual revenue. However, it has been accused of being responsible for many environmental problems including greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
There are some ways to improve the efficiency of the food industry. One way is through changing how it relates to consumers and by reducing the amount of resources consumed during the production process. Another way is by changing how food products are marketed and advertised to consumers. Some organizations have implemented these changes already while others are considering them as a starting point for making improvements in this sector.
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The changes can be seen at different levels – governmental, corporate, and individual-based strategies that will contribute to a sustainable future for our planet. The food sector is a big industry, and it’s growing bigger by the day. In fact, it’s the second-largest industry in the world after oil. In this essay, we will discuss in detail about the food industry, Big Food, and its implications on our daily lives.
What is Big Food?
The term Big Food is used to describe the food industry that operates globally. It is best understood as a food producing and marketing industry that has a significant impact on the global economy. Big Food is able to greatly influence the production of food because of its large supply chains, capital, and production capacity. The industry is able to push forward trends in food production, create new technologies, and market useful products. However, not all actions taken by these companies are in the best interest of consumers.
Why Should We Avoid Big Food? – Effects
Avoiding big food can help to reduce the impact of global warming, as the food industry is one of the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental impacts. Moreover, the Big food industry is one of the leading sources of health issues ranging from obesity to cardiovascular disorders.
Big Food Ethical Issues
Big food also faces many ethical issues. Following are some of the most pressing ones:
- The use of GM crops – The use of genetically modified crops is a controversial issue, with many people arguing that GM crops are dangerous to the environment and the health of humans. Others are concerned about the control that corporations have over our food system.
- The use of antibiotics in animal feed – Today, the use of antibiotics in animal feed is a big issue. There are many different ways that it could affect the environment, people’s health and more. Granted, antibiotics are useful and important drugs that have been used to fight and treat bacterial infections. However, these medicines can be harmful if they are misused or overused. This is because the antibiotics in animal feed not only affect animals but also humans, plants, and other organisms in the food chain (through trophic transfer). The best solution is to prevent the misuse of antibiotics in animal feed by ensuring that it follows strict guidelines. The biggest risk of using antibiotics is it may give rise to antibiotic resistant superbugs – these are essentially pathogens which are unable to be killed by standard antibiotic medication, and this makes them extremely harmful for its hosts.
- The use of intensive farming practices – In the US, consumers eat more than one-third of their meat from animals raised on factory farms. This is a big issue as these factory farm animals are often kept in unsanitary and inhumane conditions and fed with genetically modified feed.
- The use of animal testing – People have been debating the ethics of animal testing for decades. With the advent of new technologies, many believe that animal testing is no longer necessary. However, there are those who still use animals as their primary source of testing and validation. This makes animal testing a kind of ethical “grey” zone.
- The use of intensive fishing practices – In the fishing industry, intensive fishing practices have been a controversial topic for decades now. These practices include using traps, nets, and other forms of fishing that can take a significant toll on both the environment and the fish population. In order to avoid this problem, many countries have implemented regulations against these techniques in recent years.
- The use of pesticides and herbicides – The use of pesticides and herbicides is one of the most controversial topics in the food industry. This is because many of these chemicals have substances which are thought to be carcinogenic. Consequently, this has led to many companies creating their own guidelines for pesticide usage.
- The use of animal slaughter practices and methods – The ethical issues of meat production are controversial because meat production is one of the largest industries in the world. Unsurprisingly, the use of animal slaughter practices and methods is one of the most contentious ethical issues.
Effect of Big Food on Human Health
How does big food affect your health? It is no secret that food today has become a lot more processed. This means that the nutritional content of these foods have been significantly reduced. Furthermore, processed foods usually have many additives and preservatives whose effects are not well-understood. Some researchers have suggested that it contains carcinogenic substances that can increase the risk of cancer. Others may deny this as there is no conclusive proof of this claim,
How does big food affect the environment? The food industry has been at the forefront of creating innovative ways to create food with scientific accuracy in order to keep up with consumer demand. The issue is that this accuracy comes at a cost–that of environmental damage. The traditional way in which food is made, for example, can lead to food waste, chemical runoff & more. Moreover, the food industry has been shown to be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and deforestation. Today, more than ever, consumers are asking more questions about the food they eat. People are also becoming more aware of the side effects that these foods can cause.
What Can We Do To Avoid This Problem?
The production of food has been revolutionized over the last decade due to huge advances in technology. However, this has also led to a slew of problems such as obesity and environmental pollution. In order to reduce the impact of these issues, companies need to be more conscious about the quality of their food products and how it affects our health.
FAQs on Food Inc
Question 1.
What is Big Food?
Answer:
Big Food is the phenomenon of food production and processing on a large scale. The term big food was coined in the early 20th century.
Question 2.
Why is Big Food bad?
Answer:
The amount of available food in the world has increased due to industrialization, however, this has led to many issues that are still present today. These problems include over-consumption, obesity, hunger and malnutrition among others.
Question 3.
How does Big Food harm us?
Answer:
Processed food is unhealthy and often high in sugar, fat, and salt. Big Food often targets marketing towards children with cartoon characters on their packaging. Big Food has also lobbied for policies that promote the consumption of processed food over fresh vegetables and fruits.