Students discuss nature of food industry

While talk about food these days is usually focused on the locally grown, slow-cooked or organic, Penn students are talking about something new lately: the injustices of eating.

Moral Voice kick-started its year of raising awareness of food injustice this Thursday in an initiative titled, “The Hungry, Obese and Malnourished.” A screening of the film “How to Get Fat Without Really Trying,” hosted by Peter Jennings, was shown Thursday night, followed by a discussion to address the problem of food injustice as part of Food Week.

The discussion became heated as students learned how junk-food companies dress up foods for ads, sometimes using hair spray. Students also learned how much commercially produced corn and oil shows up in movie-theater popcorn, suggesting that agricultural policy is wound up with obesity rates.

“I’m interested in obesity and food issues,” Engineering sophomore Annie Mroz said. “I saw the TED talks this year and learned how some countries suffered by being hungry and overweight. This event sparked my interest in food systems in general.”

For many in attendance, food practices were tied up with their own personal experiences. College sophomore Moshe Bitterman saw an ad in the documentary of the Ninja Turtles karate-chopping a gummy bear that he had looked forward to watching as a kid. This time, he realized all the ethical implications involved.

“The goal was not to come to any consensus but to be thinking critically and for people to come to their own conclusion,” event organizer and College junior Ariella Messing said.

As students discussed whether health is a personal or government responsibility, some noted that — alongside the vegetable spread, cheeses and fruit courtesy of Bon Appetit Management Company — soda, which contained fructose, was served.

“You look up at the corn on screen and look then look at the corn syrup in soda provided,” post-baccalaureate student Eric Sales said. “But I could also use a sugar boost.”

“Moral issues aren’t necessarily cool. People are saying ‘I don’t want government in my life,’ but as long as you’re eating, it’s already in deep,” Messing said.

This year, Moral Voices will examine how food injustice manifests itself in the U.S. in obesity and in malnutrition in other countries.

Moral Voices will also hold a photo competition to capture food inequalities and hunger in Philadelphia. First prize is $500 for snapshots that show the presence of food injustice in Philadelphia. Second prize is $50.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.