One of the most popular topics among documentary films is food. From “Super Size Me” to “Food, Inc.” to “The Future of Food”, many of these films take a very critical view of the food industry.
The latest entry into this genre is “Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food”, which came out earlier this month on Netflix. The title says it all, but obviously it takes a decidedly negative view of food safety in the U.S. We will watch excerpts later in the semester, but I encourage you to watch it in full when you get a chance.
One of the main goals of this course will be to apply critical thinking, based on science and data, when discussing the issues covered in this course. Are our foods safe? Are organic foods healthier than conventional foods? Should GMO’s be labeled? Is gluten bad? Who is responsible for the obesity epidemic in America?
I am sure many of you already have your own opinions about these issues. Still, my goal is that by the end of the semester, those views will be informed by science.