Incredible Inedibles

What’s red and tastes like ketchup but is made of corn? That’s right — Heinz ketchup. If word hasn’t reached your nuclear fallout shelter yet, most of the food we eat was concocted by scientists at a handful of agricultural conglomerates, a practice that has led to skyrocketing obesity rates,...

By P. Scott Cunningham

August 20, 2009

Audio By Carbonatix

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What’s red and tastes like ketchup but is made of corn? That’s right — Heinz ketchup. If word hasn’t reached your nuclear fallout shelter yet, most of the food we eat was concocted by scientists at a handful of agricultural conglomerates, a practice that has led to skyrocketing obesity rates, E. coli outbreaks, and the frightening ability to order both a soft taco and a bucket of fried chicken from the same drive-thru.

Fortunately, a few outspoken critics are leading a charge against the food industry’s high-powered lobbyists, and they’ve made a movie, Food, Inc., which you can see this Sunday at the Miami Beach Cinematheque. Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, teamed up with filmmaker Robert Kenner to dish the truth about what your grocery stores and restaurants aren’t telling you. Featured interviewees include Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food, and Barbara Kowalcyk, whose 2-year-old son Kevin died from eating a piece of contaminated meat. Think she’s motivated to change the industry?
Sun., Aug. 23, 7 p.m., 2009

P. Scott Cunningham

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