Engineered Foods

In the early 1900s, the chemist Fritz Haber combined atmospheric nitrogen with hydrogen, making ammonia, a revolutionary synthetic fertilizer. Crop yields exploded on account of this innovation, and millions were saved from famine. Since then, the technological modification of foods has rapidly become a normality. Flash forward to the 2000s, foods are bioengineered to a degree that one must question whether it really is beneficial. As ethical thinkers, we must concern ourselves with the food industry: are these foods evidence of our technological expertise or something far worse in disguise? Furthermore, how can transparency aid the autonomy of individuals? 

In pursuit of the “optimization” of foods, companies launched brands of ultra-processed foods designed to be addictively tasty. Often the unhealthiness of these foods was downplayed in favor of promoting a more positive image. This trend of concealing the true nature of food highlights the importance of ethical transparency.  

Transparency must be an ethical imperative within the food industry; without it, the ability to choose becomes an illusion as customers are steered along by deceptive marketing claims. Considering instances in which consumers suffer from unhealthy food, this negative outcome cannot entirely be attributed to the consumer when they lack the necessary information to make an informed choice.  

While technological development is not inherently unethical, it must be directed to prioritize human well-being. For this reason, trust between companies and consumers is essential. For transparency to be meaningful, it must extend beyond mere fine print labeling and vague claims. Ethical transparency is not persuasion but a genuine commitment to informing consumers.