Academic philosopher, Garrath William's colourful critique of ultra-processed food attracts media attention
Philosophers do not often weigh into debates on healthy eating, and are even less prone to having their articles reprinted in the Daily Mail. But an item that Garrath Williams, lecturer in philosophy at Lancaster University, contributed to an online academic forum has attracted an unusual amount of attention.
In the article, which was first published in The Conversation, Williams mulls over the welter of advice consumers are given on the relative hazards of various nutrients, and then ventures the opinion that it is not so much any particular nutrient as the gamut of 'ultra-processed foods' that should be avoided. He describes these in colourful terms.
'Raw ingredients are reduced to pulps and powders and concentrates and extracts,' he writes. 'Chemicals are used to emulsify and enhance flavours ... New technologies pound and process and bleach and coat, change liquids into pastes or solids, extract the last scraps from animal carcasses, and “fortify” with vitamins lost in earlier stages of processing.' In short, 'On top of modern industrial agriculture, industrial food processing represents the biggest change to human diets since people began farming.' His advice is take everything in moderation -- especially heavily processed foods.
Not surprisingly, the article irritated the food manufacturers' trade association, the Food and Drink Federation, which criticised the philosopher for being 'naive'.
Read more about Sustain's policies on healthy food and farming systems here.
Published Friday 3 June 2016
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
