Eric Schlosser's Critique Of The Fast Food Industry

Industrial agriculture is a form of innovative farming that refers to the industrialised production of livestock, poultry, fish, and crops. The methods of industrial agriculture are technoscientific, economic, and political (Newworldencyclopedia.org, 2018). Eric Schlosser (2002) formulated his own detailed analysis surrounding the fast food system, its food production as well as the effects it has had on the world today. In this essay, I will be outlining his critique of industrial agriculture and stating my views on the topics. I will be doing so by firstly giving a brief outline of his argument, I will then be going in-depth on the various issues Schlosser points out, namely, the health issues, environmental dilemmas, exploitation of workers,

Fast food basically refers to processed food served as a quick meal or it can be taken away. Schlosser (2002) mainly focuses on the United States but the issues he mentions could apply to various other countries as well. Americans spend more money on fast food than any other lifestyle items, spending more than they generally would on higher education, computers or cars. Schlosser’s argument is based on the fast food system of food production and how it is the cause of numerous health issues, environmental dilemmas, the exploitation of workers and animal cruelty. Fast food has affected peoples diet, natural landscape, the economy, the workforce, and popular culture. The effects it has is not only subjected to those who eat it but it affects the nation as a whole. The fast-food industry has been developed through various changes in society. The world renown McDonald 's has become one of the most powerful establishments and symbols of America 's service economy. McDonalds 's makes up 90% of the country’s new jobs. This just shows just how much fast food has developed over the years and gives us insight into the power over the nation’s food supply that is given to corporations. There are visible effects that fast food has on the environment, rural life, workers and the overall health of people. Fast food chains have increasing power over agriculture. Schlosser does not intend to insinuate that

The average American consumes roughly three burgers and four orders of hot chips every week. That statistic alone allows one to assume how many health issues are currently affecting people due to the consumption of fast food. You rarely find a fast food advertisement that discloses where their food comes from or the ingredients they are made from. Most fast food is delivered frozen and fried in the restaurant. The food that we eat is simply the final product of a system of production and we cannot begin to guess what exactly it contains as it has been reformed. It is not only the consumption that leads to health issues but also the big corporate farms that cause harmful air pollution. They produce animal manure and urine that emit roughly 400 different harmful gases into the atmosphere (Schwartz, 2017). For example, around 80% of ammonia emissions in the United States are caused by animal waste. The farms also produce an unbearable smell for local residents making their daily life uncomfortable, ruining their health, quality of life and increasing the chance of people moving away. Meat industries have also facilitated the introduction of deadly pathogens, one highly problematic one being E.coli 0157:H7. I can totally agree with Schlosser on his argument regarding fast food as a major cause of health issues in America. In South Africa, it too has become a problem. Fast food has integrated