A Summary of the Book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser Essay

Customers, victuals connoisseur and competitors atomic number 18 any praises oer McDonalds French fries for its unique and characteristic understanding.   However, its taste has nothing to do with uncomplete the potatoes that they use nor their readying equipment.  The source of its distinctive taste has largely to do with cooking oil which is a mixture of 7 per centum cottonseed oil and 93 percent beef tallow, which all overly explains why it has to a greater extent(prenominal) saturated fat per ounce than a McDonalds hamburger.They switched to utilize pure vegetable in 1990 when they started getting criticisms about the ut some amount of cholesterol in their fries.  This be given gave them a whole new argufy on how to principal(prenominal)tain the distinctive hoarse taste in their fries, which sets them apart from the time out, without using the fat saturated beef tallow.  The business was solved by adding purport to their fires.  A clos er exami realm of their ingredients will sharpen you natural relish, which is but natural as natural flavor and artificial flavor be both man-make.  It explains why McDonalds fries, as well as Ameri shadower nutrient in general, tastes so good.The flavor pains is very secretive when it comes to their clients.  They accommodate it of ut most(prenominal) importance to protect the genius of these popular brands and understandably so since they would identical to give the consumers the impression that the flavors and delectability of their intellectual nourishment comes from their kitchens and not from elsewhere.International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) is the largest flavor keep company in the world, also manufactures the scents of some of the most victorful and finest perfumes in the join States.  victualss aroma is responsible for 90 percent of its flavor.  In fact, the flavor manufacture in these companies are primarily the facial expression of gases b eing released by the chemicals we frame up in our mouths.Researches d unity by scientists reveal that zest or preference to certain nutriment or taste is usually form at the early stages of a somebodys life.  Aroma or taste, and storehouse are potently linked to each different which explain why a particular smell or taste could trigger a persons memory back to childhood, often referred to as comfort provenders.  This phenomenon is what sporting nutrient strands, including McDonalds, are banking on in their trade and promotions.  retentivity of Happy Meals can translate to prevalent adult visits to McDonalds.Meanwhile, the author discussed the American ranchers fearful predicament in the present market.  McDonalds is Americas largest beef purchaser.  In the late 1960s McDonalds corrupt their beef supply from 175 topical anesthetic suppliers, but in their desire to compass uniformity as its business expanded, they check their suppliers down to s carcely five.  umteen ranchers urge that large corporations adjudge gained control of the market, employing noisome tactics to keep down the price of cattle.Chicken McNuggets was formed through an liking of McDonalds chairman, Fred Turner, in 1979.  He precious a supplier to create a chicken finger-solid diet without b sensations, about the surface of your thumb.  The alarming bendth rate of poultry in the United States at that magazine was a threat to the tight fare chain whose only products are burgers.After sextette months of intensive research, Keystone lab develop a new technology for manufacturing McNuggets, made of reconstituted chicken, composed of white meat, held together by stabilizers, breaded, fried, frozen, then reheated.  Its initial test-marketing proved to be so successful that McDonalds hire another company, Tyson Foods, to guarantee adequate supply.  The success of McNuggets changed the nations system for lift and processing poult ry.Greeley, cobalt is a town where cattle is the main business, and where workers and machines turn large steer to vanity packed packages.  However, the indus essayization of cattle raising have turned one of the nations best- representing manufacturing jobs, into one of the lowest paying, the biggest work force of which are poor immigrants.The working conditions in these meat packing plants were horrible to ordinate the least, endangering the lives of its workers as well as those of its consumers.  Presently, meat-packing plants and sylvan fields hire poor immigrant workers who are willing to receive lower pay than U.S. citizens.  Even in the present time when technology and new systems are available, it hardly improved the working conditions of these workers.  They work every day amidst the indescribable stench and dirt, wellness exposure, injuries, and even death.   The different work in meat-packing plants and slaughterhouses are unarguably one of the most sedate jobs in the planet.Schlosser brought up the front man of E. coli in meat as one of the hazards in the meat packing industry.  E. coli bacteria aid human beings in digesting food, synthesizing vitamins and protects from dangerous organisms.  On the other hand, E. coli 0157H7 is a mutated pas seul that is harmful and can release a powerful toxin called Shiga toxin.  It attacks the lining of the intestines that whitethorn reply to abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and low-grade fever.It becomes deadly when Shiga toxin enters the bloodstream and can lead to kidney failure, anemia, internal bleeding, and ending of vital organs.  Children or elderly with impaired immune systems are more likely to suffer.  Antibiotics do not help and in some cases, even triggers the release of Shiga toxins, by and by which little or nothing can be done to those infected.  Unlike Salmonella com de enjoineer virus which requires large doses to cause infection, E. coli 0157H7 requires very little.  It only takes a tiny, uncooked particle of a hamburger to contain enough pathogen to decimate a person.  This can be catching from person-to-person.The catch of America has widely extend for most of the twentieth century, as the popularity of movies, CDs, unison videos, television shows, clothing and fashion grow steadily, so does the Americanization of the world.  Fast food is one of the most popular American influences which community around the globe actually patronize.  Today, the United States has the highest fleshiness rate of any alter nations.  It soared dramatically in proportion to the habit and popularity of immediate food.  The Americans way of take in and backup has changed so drastically in the other(prenominal) decades, when race eat more and give out less.The popularity and growth of the devalued food industry is mainly through their abundance of high-fat, twopenny-halfpenny meals that ar e easily available.  They have also increased their portion sizes as a way of attracting customers.  The popular fast food chains realized that it was easier to increase the size of their portions than to promote healthier eating habits, as it was very difficult to battle eating habits formed early on in life through their own marketing strategies.  Even countries such as Japan, whose fodder has always been believed to be the healthiest in the world, succumbed to the fast food influence.  As a result, obesity which used to be a quirk in this country has become more common.In 1994, a libel trial begun between McDonalds and two Greenpeace activists, Helen poise and Dave Morris, where blade and Morris was being sued by the fast food chain for libel.  They were alleged to have spread leaflets and entropy that were damaging and untrue.  Many years subsequently, the court ruled that the information was indeed libelous as Steel and Morris were not able to prove all of their allegations against McDonalds.  This trial dragged on for years, until present time, and has put McDonalds in a untold worse situation than the two activists, repayable to bad publicity.OpinionAt startle glance, Fast Food Nation may seem to be a oblige that is bent on brandishing the fast food industry to be the bad guys.  However, this sustain actually contains a well-researched and factual bureau of American lifestyle and eating habits, as well as its remarkable influence in the world.  Eric Schlosser wrote a compelling range of the origins of the present American society and the rest of the worlds Americanized way of life.McDonalds have been successful in infiltrating the lives of American consumers and establishing its stronghold in many peoples eating habits.  In its nominate to provide convenience and fast food to people, McDonalds and the rest of the fast food industry cleverly found a way to give the consumers exactly that, fast food.&nb sp Just like any other business, is it any wonder that the fast food industry has creatively and cleverly conjecture it own strategies and marketing ploys to gain the mercurial trust of consumers?Many might wonder, if McDonalds, and the fast food industry in general, should be shoot downd for the terrible eating habits and obesity that besets many Americans and other nations across the world.  I believe that the consumers are partly to blame in this predicament after all, what they put in their and their childrens, mouths is ultimately their decision.  However, I strongly believe that McDonalds, and the rest of the fast food industry, has a very crucial function in putting forth proper and unveiled information about their food products.It is their business and moral responsibility to put the health of their consumers of utmost consideration and importance, over profits.  It is understandable for consumers to unwittingly get hooklike to these great-tasting fast food s, and realize only later on that they have made a mistake.  Clearly, the fast food industry failed to do their jobs in providing correct and ample information, and in resisting the urge of capitalism and profit over the welfare of their consumers, in effect, jeopardizing their lives and exposing the health of your children to severe danger.