Author Archives: Chris MacDonald

Here’s a fascinating piece on the sources of food myths, and the scientific truth about MSG: How MSG Got A Bad Rap: Flawed Science And Xenophobia, written by Anna Maria Barry-Jester for FiveThirtyEightScience. MSG was developed in Japan as a … Continue reading →

Are hybrid fruits & vegetables safe? The short answer from this educated layperson is “yes, of course, generally.” I’m not terribly worried about the dangers of the limequat, or the ugli fruit or the plumquat. But still. To the best … Continue reading →

These days vegetarianism and veganism come in dozens of varieties. There are part-time vegans, flexitarians, and those who observe “Meatless Mondays,” just to name a few examples. And some of us (me included) take an approach according to which we … Continue reading →

What could be more authentic than artisanal water? What could be more hilarious? Check out this great Parody of Artisanal Food Makers. It’s a lovely sendup of the view that food ethics is really all about authentic experiences and food … Continue reading →

People are big on food labels. Some people want labels on genetically modified foods. Others want foods labeled if they contain so-called “pink slime” (LFTB, or ‘lean finely textured beef’). Others want animal welfare labels. Lots of concerns, for reasons … Continue reading →

Paul Thompson is one of the real stars of the food ethics realm. He’s a smart philosopher and well informed about the relevant issues. In the blog entry linked below, he considers the difference between the “food movement” and what … Continue reading →