Britain doesn't enjoy the finest reputation in culinary circles, and the television show Really Disgusting Foods likely isn't helping. But that doesn't mean you should avoid the cross between Crank Yankers, Unwrapped and Insomniac with Dave Atell.
The host, Alex Riley, is a skinnier Michael Moore with a keen wit that he has decided to turn on industrialized food production. In weekly installments he's taking on the practice of food labeling, using his incredulity to suggest to companies that manufacture processed foods that what they're selling is more processed than food:
"It's also a way of approaching companies that they're not used to," he says. "If you're coming to them with a Paxman style they're quite
well versed in dealing with that, but when you're coming at them in a
disingenuous approach and say: 'Well done for getting 47 per cent beef
into a beef burger' they're not quite sure how to take it."
The guerilla-style show is appealing because Riley is the everyman, wondering how the sum of chicken parts is failing to add up to chicken inside a frozen meal, and because he often explores the science behind the product claims. It's fascinating to watch him recreate a "chicken kiev" with only 10 percent chicken meat.
It offers a bit of unsettling insight into preservatives and additives in a market that's not too dissimilar from that in the United States.
The show airs on the BBC in Britain but can easily be found on YouTube. It would be nice if it inspired somebody in America to challenge some of the products found on grocery store shelves here, because despite what some critics might argue, Britain has certainly not cornered the market on really disgusting foods.
[Image via Flickr: Mr. Bill]
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