A recent press release from The Food Commission, an independent food watchdog which campaigns for safer, healthier food in the UK, highlighted tips for healthier eating by pointing out some of the problems with food labelling and additives. In a multi-billion dollar marketplace, where the battle for space on supermarket shelves means additives and extra sugar are hidden in complicated and barely legible labels, it is increasingly important to ensure consumers have a better understanding of what is actually in their shopping trolley. Unfortunately a legal injunction by a manufacturer has prevented further distribution of The Food Commission’s tips, and, although the story was published in the Times in October, it may well be a while before we hear more. Coincidentally, Dorset Food Week got underway this week and one of the first events was a series of short films made on the subject of food. In one film a group of students from a nearby school took part in a blind taste test. They were hoping to see if they could recognise which was a local product amongst those tasted. In one case they were horrified to find that a highly flavoured, mass produced product, proved tastier than the rest. They quickly deduced that they had been conditioned to believe this product tasted better, because it was what they had grown up with. Just the sort of deduction that corporate need and shareholder value might rather they didn’t make.
