The Dorito Effect

Food has changed. Mark Schatzker’s The Dorito Effect exemplifies that. Using an overarching metaphor of a Dorito chip, originally conceived as a corn tortilla but now bathed in bucketloads of artificial flavourings, the book explores how flavour is manipulated to trick our senses into consuming food devoid of nutrition, encourage binging, and can ultimately cause disease.

Touching on the craft of artificial flavouring, industrial production of chicken (I have not eaten chicken in a month), deception of “organic” food, and plenty more, Schatzker investigates how the dilution of nutrients in modern food leaves us with an insatiable appetite.

For anyone interested in food science, The Dorito Effect is worth a read to deepen your current and historical understanding of the food industry. It is by no means comprehensive but provides an alternative, additional perspective to the complexities of nutrition. Plus, I’m a sucker for a book about nutrition.

Ultimately, it is a testament the importance of eating well, something we should be all be reminded of every so often. You are what you eat, after all.