Get Ready for a New Era of Transparency

Marion Nestle has a new book coming out this fall—"Unsavory Truth: How Food Companies Skew the Science of What We Eat"—and there is little doubt that the prolific author will once again shake up the food industry. 

Its release is coming at a time when the curtain is being pulled back on just who is funding research and how the findings may be being influenced to the consumer’s detriment. 

One example ripped from the headlines: A 2015 Gallup poll found that one in five Americans believe “moderate” drinking is good for health, and that this was especially true—surprise—among those who drink alcohol. 

Well, The New York Times reported that a 10-year, $100 million study currently underway at the National Institutes of Health was largely funded by alcohol companies, who donated based on the expectation that the study will find that mild drinking is healthy. (In the wake of this scandal, the NIH says it is now looking at these reports in a “very aggressive way.”) 

Esquire writes that the problem with advocating for "moderate drinking" is that moderation is a highly subjective measurement. The more we like what we’re eating—or, in this case, drinking—the larger the portion that we consider to be moderate becomes. The only rule of thumb, they write, seems to be that everything we enjoy consuming is, in fact, bad for us and our options are to die elderly monks or young bon vivants. 

Related:Nestle to Sell U.S. Candy Business for $2.8B

Marion Nestle’s book comes out at a time where everyone, especially millenials and Gen Z, want to know more about our foods, want more transparency and are demanding that companies take more responsibility for what they produce. I for one can’t wait to read it. You can preorder it now on Amazon or from other booksellers, and the publication date is Oct. 30.