Javier Porras Porras itibaren Aisho, Echi District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan itibaren Aisho, Echi District, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

It's really scary to realize that the government agencies that are supposed to protect us from contaminated food and dangerous food additives/supplements really have no power. While Food Politics is a little technical, it has plenty of charts, examples, and descriptions of historical battles over the regulation of food. It was amazing to see how food companies use their muscle to get away with so much. It's worth a browse, at least. I think food regulation (especially with last summer's Spinach contamination and the recent pet food recalls) should be something that becomes a focus again for politics (hint hint, any politicians reading this - ask an aide to summarize this book for you and add a food safety/regulation plank to your platform!). I always say that "all natural" isn't necessarily a good thing. After all, arsenic, lead, and mercury are as natural as you can get - elements on the periodic table - and Food Politics tells you what can be included in foods labeled "all natural" or "organic." While I can't say it has changed how I eat (I still eat beef after reading Portrait of a Burger as a Young Calf, too, though I feel more guilty about it), it has definitely made me more cynical about the food industry, advertising for food and supplements, and government deregulation.