Question

Why McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good by Eric Schlosser

Answer 1

McDonald’s French fries are iconic in American culture and around the world. The author Eric Schlosser uses the French fries popularity to grab the reader’s attention. Everyone around the world can think back on a time where they enjoy McDonald’s French Fries. Knowing this, the author used it to break the ice between the topic and his readers. Schlosser could have used a different introductory statement, such as using fast food in general or any other over processed products known in this country. He chose McDonald’s fries because not only are all people familiar with McDonald’s French fries but most people know how unhealthy and overly processed they actually are. The diet of many Americans has changed dramatically do to the convenience of fast food such as the most popular fast food of all, the French fries. Many people in this generation grew up on McDonalds, burger king, and other restaurants that sell cheap processed food to the masses. Schlosser uses this known fact to draw the reader in, but at the same time introduces new less known facts to the reader to keep them interested.     

      

      In the article “Why McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good” Schlosser explains the difference or lack thereof artificial and natural flavor. Schlosser explains that natural and artificial flavor can have the same chemical makeup. The major difference between the two is the process in which they are made. At this point, many of the natural and artificial flavors today are made in the same factories, but natural flavor is looked up by the general public as healthier therefore sold at a higher price. Even though natural flavors can be made in the same factory as artificial flavors, it is thought as healthier even though in most cases there are no health differences between the two. Also, in the essay, Schlosser talks about his account with a laboratory for processing the chemicals that make food taste the way it does. He saw brightly colored test tubes filled with mystery chemicals that are put in all our foods to make them taste and smell a certain way.

Schlosser shows his opinion through his writing, he does not favor artificial flavors over natural flavors in fact he tells the reader how similar they actually are. I feel like his writing looked down on all processed foods and the process in which they are advertised and sold by the fast food market.