The Prestige of Meat in Society - Essay Example

November 2006 Fast profits Discuss the prestige of meat in society related specifically to the time period upon when the book was written. During the late 1800s up to the early 1900s, the meat industry was highly notorious for its unsanitary measures, despite the presence of sanitary inspectors. On the other hand, eating meat then was a sign that people are able to somehow live comfortably in their own little way. The safest and graded Class A meat was bought and could only be afforded by the elite in society. Meanwhile, the rotten and diseased meat could only be afforded by the lower class, particularly those people who cannot afford to buy a decent meal to eat. Generally speaking, meat is an essential component of every household’s food supplement. Since the release of the Jungle, the public responded to the outcry of the novel’s portrayal of the meat industry’s unhealthy practice of selling rotten and diseased meat to unsuspecting and unknowing customers. The putrid meat is masked by shiny, attractive surfaces of the can, thus enabling the customer to be deceived that the meat he is buying is safe and nutritious. Because of this, President Theodore Roosevelt was pressured to pass the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, despite being kept in storage in 1902 and again in 1905. The Beef Inspection Act was also passed in order to have a standard inspection scheme, away from bribery and corruption in the meat packing industry. With these precautionary measures, there is no doubt that the American people regard meat as an essential part of human consumption. And without proper sanitary and packaging regulations, American health is endangered. 2. Discuss how the information in the book will affect consumer’s attitudes regarding meat for the next 50 years. The book has not only inspired the American public in becoming critical and well-aware of what they eat, it has also triggered the term “consumerism” up to the time being. The consumerism attitude entails being critical of product labeling, not only for meat but as well as for other products. Furthermore, it has also set standard requirement for all food manufacturers to put “nutrition facts,” wherein the label includes the nutrients that an individual would get from consuming the product, and public safety precautions, particularly for those products that may inflict possible hazards in particular scenarios. On the other hand, there has been a rapidly emerging movement of vegetarianism for the last century. Throughout the years since the inception of the book, there have been a growing number of people who have suffered from heart attack, heart by-pass, stroke, high blood pressure, and other debilitating diseases related to excess meat consumption. The growing number of obese Americans has also been linked to eating too much meat from fast food chains and the like. And as a precautionary measure, more and more people have been considering vegetarianism as a way of life. The book has not only inspired people to become critically aware of what they eat, it has also paved way for the uprising number of health movements that instill values to what people should and should not eat. And this has brought more and more ways to which food should be bought, prepared, and eaten. All in all, the book has not only influenced the meat industry, it has also changed the way people view food and nutrition in their every day lives. 3. What is your overall opinion on the book and how has it changed your attitude, beliefs and purchasing practices related to meat. After reading “The Jungle,” I realized that the best and safest way to consume food is to prepare them yourself. But since I’m leading a hectic life, I do not have the luxury of doing that on a daily basis. So when it comes to purchasing meat, I figured that I will only eat them when I have no other food option. Given a situation that I am attending a party, the first thing I would look for are seafood and vegetable dishes. If I have no other choice, I would eat meat as moderate as I could so as to avoid future health complications. When it comes to purchasing meat, I try to inspect the meat as much as possible. I analyze the meat for any signs of foul odor and the like. Afterwards, I inspect its color and texture. It has to be tender, slightly elastic, and has a pinkish color for pork meat, and red to dark red color for beef meat. In some instances, there is a seal of approval from the meat inspection that the meat has reached the necessary meat standards. If ever I do not have the luxury of purchasing meat on my own, as much as possible I refrain from eating meat in fast food chains. I would rather eat chicken meat and vegetables if the food establishment is not well-known. On the other hand, I can still eat in well-known fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King, and the like since these establishments inspect their meat before processing and preparing them for customers’ consumption. 4. As a future restaurateur, why do you consider it important to understand the knowledge that you learned from the book that you chose (please explain in detail). As a future restaurateur, it is deemed important for any individual in the food business to learn more about phytosanitary measures as it is an integral component of any food endeavor. Indeed, food preparation is essential for any restaurants, but the need to critically inspect and analyze the source of any food material, as well as its freshness is essential in maintaining the customers’ trust and loyalty. The demand for food will never run out. But to be able to stay in the business in a sustainable basis, one has to consider the fact that people eat to nourish themselves, not mainly to get fat or full. Empty stomachs are not being fed to sustain a living but to maintain a well-balanced and nutritious life. Sinclair exemplified the importance of having a decent food to eat. Having an unsafe food to eat not only made an impact the health of Sinclair’s characters; it has also adversely affected their lives in general. They were unable to work for days due to sickness, and the inability to work made them poorer than before. Eventually, it has demoralized the poor, penniless society towards drug addiction, prostitution, stealing, begging, and even beating. Hence, it is up to today’s future restaurateurs to ensure that history will not repeat itself. 5. What do you think consumer’s attitudes should be regarding meat purchases today in society and what should they be teaching their children about the information that you have read. Consumer’s attitude towards food should be geared towards health and nutrition and not towards what is “yummy” or tasty to eat. Meat consumption is not for nourishing the stomach but must be geared towards nourishing the body as a whole. In today’s society, parents should start teaching their children, even at such a young age, not to rely on fast food chains and junk foods. Instead, children must be aware of the fact that life in itself is fragile and we need to take care of our bodies not only at a latter age in life but as well as on the early stages of growth. At such an early age, they must be taught how to prepare their own food. They must be aware of the fact that not all food is safe to eat; hence there is a need to properly check the label for expiration dates and food nutrition guide. Before eating any leftover food, children must bear in mind to smell and taste test the food before eventually consuming them. In these simple ways, children will be aware of the fact that food health and safety comes first, before anything else. Read More