Chew on This: Everything You Don't Want to Know About Fast Food

Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson pull back the curtain on the industrial production of quick-service meals, focusing on the chemical engineering of flavors and the mechanical slaughtering of livestock. The text explains how flavorists use additives to mimic the taste of fresh food and describes the labor practices inside windowless meatpacking plants. It details the physiological impact of high-fructose corn syrup on the body and the aggressive marketing tactics used to target children. Readers see how heavy automation and standardized ingredients transformed local diners into a globalized corporate system.

This book is intended for young adults and parents seeking to understand the industrial origins of their dinner. Readers consume this material to identify the link between cheap calories and rising obesity rates. By finishing the book, an audience gains a practical understanding of food processing and the influence of the soda industry. They walk away with the ability to decipher nutrition labels and make informed decisions about where they spend their money and what they put into their bodies.