How much do we really know about the food we buy  at our local supermarkets and serve to our families?

Food, Inc., a hard-hitting documentary about US food production systems sets to answer this question and reveals surprising – and often shocking truths – about what US consumers are eating, where it comes from and where the food industry is headed.

The director of the fim, Robert Kenner was determined to get the scoop on the US food industry, exposing the highly mechanised underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of US government’s regulatory agencies. For example, America’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. What about the bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, and also new strains of E. coli-the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually? In addition, widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults raises even more questions on the foods being consumed and their origins.

The 93 minute Academy Award nominated film features interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield’s Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms’ Joel Salatin.

Joel Salatin, from the film, a charismatic campaigner, farmer and author of Everything I want to do is Illegal and The sheer ecstasy of being a lunatic farmer, will be visiting Victoria later this month to talk further on the issues. 

Food Inc. opens in Australian cinemas 20 May. Joel Salatin will speak at Lake House Food Symposium  25-30 May in Daylesford, Victoria.

The film quotes “you’ll never look at dinner the same way”.

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