I'm reading "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser. I have to say this is a very interesting book. It brings to light many things that exist in our nation's fast food industry which subsequently trickled down into and affected our nation's diet, pop culture, economy, and even landscape ("the malling of our landscape" as the book's description puts it). I'm less than half way through the book but already I am amazed by some of its points.

For example, did you know that the "natural flavors" and "artificial flavors" that go into our food items are manufactured at the same "flavor" plants that produce the scents in our hand soaps, shaving creams, deodorants, air fresheners, furniture cleaners...? Did you know that the difference between "natural flavors" and "artificial flavors" lies not in the nature of the ingredient (i.e. whether it's natural or artificial) but in the process by which the flavor was produced? The difference is so slight that a chemistry bimbo like me cannot comprehend. I was only naïve enough to believe "natural flavors" is better for me than "artificial flavors".

The book also brought to light that while fast food chains are receiving federal subsidies to hire and train underprivileged/less educated workers, their R&D staffs are constantly designing machines that are so easy to operate that no training is required. Anyone, without any skills, can easily operate those fryers and grills. Workers rarely leave the fast food industry with any more work related talent than when they entered. And since it is so easy to "train" new hires, fast food chains often favor the practice of letting go of more experienced staffs in exchange for cheaper new recruits.

The point of this blog, if there is any at all, is to endorse this book, which I think is an interesting read. By no means is it to lobby against the fast food industry, though the book does that innately.