Food, Inc. Review

Food, Inc. is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Robert Kenner who lifts the veil on USA's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. It shows how the nations food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and environment. The film is divided in three segments- First part takes us through industrial production of meat and how it has been mechanized to perfection producing bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, etc.Second part takes us through the industrial production of grains and vegetables and how insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad are produced.The film's third and final segment is about the economic and legal power, such as food labelling regulations of the major food companies, the profits of which are based on supplying cheap but contaminated food, the heavy use of petroleum-based chemicals (largely pesticides and fertilizers), and the promotion of unhealthy food consumption habits by the American public caused by new strains of e coli--the harmful bacteria that cause illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. There is widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults. It also features interviews with experts such as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farms.