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Analysis Of 'What's In The Meat'

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In society today, the fast food industry is a major component of the culture and mainstream media discusses the topic frequently. As Americans become more obese, the amount of fast food consumed has increased. In Fast Food Nation, written by Eric Schlosser, he covers the darker side of the seemingly harmless industry. Specifically, in the chapter entitled "What's in the Meat," he covers the horrors behind foodborne illnesses, the problems with the lack of regulations, and the nutritional content of unhealthy fast food. As this type of food can be extremely dangerous, there should be a social stigma; however, even as the general population knows that it is unhealthy, there is no stigma. While Schlosser is correct in his argument that the meat …show more content…

In chapter nine, entitled "What's in the Meat," Schlosser explains the horrors of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and other pathogens, the fact that most companies only cared about profit, not sanitation or health, and the actual levels of bacteria present in processed food compared to other surfaces. Foodborne pathogens, in general, have caused "heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological problems, autoimmune diseases, and kidney damage.” He also elaborated on specific cases of E. coli. Nancy Donley’s son Alex got E. coli after eating a hamburger. The Shiga toxins started to …show more content…

Most consumers do not have the means to know how meat is processed from a living animal into different cuts of meat. Also, when an outbreak happens, the public needs to know where the treat is at and how that threat came to be. For example, in chapter nine, Schlosser discussed an incident with a six-year-old Alex that died from E coli. If the public was told about the possible outbreak, then the impact the pathogens had on individuals could have been less. Overall, the public needs to be informed about possible outbreaks and how to avoid getting sick from foodborne

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