Most of us enjoy a red juicy tomato, especially when it comes from the garden. However, there are times where we need to purchase them from the store, and for the most part, those tomatoes are pale imitations of the vegetable we think of when we think tomato. The grocery store tomato industry is a $5 billion enterprise based in Florida that takes many shortcuts in order to achieve profitability, at the expense of both its workers and its customers.
Among some of the practices that are deleterious to health, tomato fields are sprayed with more chemical per square foot than any other vegetable, and the safety application procedures are often ignored because they slow down the work. Tomatoes are harvested while they are still green, and are then artificially turned red by the use of additional chemicals in warehouses, before being shipped to the grocery store. Today's grocery store tomatoes have measurably less amounts of calcium and vitamins A and C, while containing over fourteen times the amount of sodium than tomatoes from thirty years ago.
Workers are also being exploited on tomato farms, with most of the workforce being undocumented. Workers are at the mercy of work gang chiefs, who exploit and oppress their laborers, leading to several documented court cases and guilty pleas of modern-day slavery.
Readers who enjoy knowing where the food in their plate came from will appreciate this sordid tale of exploitation, and may make better informed choices when they go to the grocery store. Consider taking a look at The Dorito Effect or The Truth Behind Factory Food for additional looks at this topic.
No comments:
Post a Comment