What’s in Our Shopping Freezers? The Hidden Toxins in Food Distribution Channels
When we walk through the aisles of our local shopping centres, we often assume the food on offer is safe and nutritious. However, a closer look at what’s in our freezers and packaged foods tells a different story. From seed oils to food additives, our health is being compromised one ingredient at a time.
Seed Oils: A Silent Health Saboteur
Seed oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil are ubiquitous in processed foods. Marketed as “healthy,” these oils are anything but. High in omega-6 fatty acids, they disrupt the delicate balance of fats in our diet, contributing to inflammation, weight gain, and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Worse, when these oils are heated during cooking or processing, they release harmful compounds linked to oxidative stress and cellular damage.
Additives and Preservatives: Numbers That Hurt
Food labels are littered with numbers representing additives and preservatives. Here are a few to watch out for:
- 320 (Butylated Hydroxy anisole): Used to prevent fats from going rancid, it’s classified as a possible carcinogen.
- 302 (Calcium Propionate): Commonly found in bread, it’s linked to behavioural changes and gut health issues.
- 602 (Monosodium Glutamate, MSG): A flavour enhancer that overstimulates brain cells and is associated with headaches, fatigue, and mood disturbances.
- 223 (Sodium Metabisulphite): Often found in dried fruits, it can cause allergic reactions and worsen asthma symptoms.
- 250 (Sodium Nitrite): Used in processed meats, this preservative is linked to cancer when consumed in large quantities.
- 150d (Caramel Colouring): Found in soft drinks and processed foods, it may contain harmful byproducts like 4-MEI, a potential carcinogen.
- 951 (Aspartame): A common artificial sweetener tied to headaches, mood disorders, and potential neurotoxicity.
These additives are often used to extend shelf life or improve taste but at a significant cost to our metabolism, mental health, and long-term wellness.
The Engineers Behind the Aisles
In the last two decades, engineers from tobacco companies have transitioned into the food industry, bringing their expertise in manipulating human behaviour. They understand the psychology of food consumption—how colours, smells, textures, and flavours can stimulate our brains and tastebuds, triggering addiction-like behaviours. These engineered foods are designed to make us crave them, prioritising profit over health.
- Brainwashing Through Food: By combining stimulants like sugars, trans fats, and chemicals, these products exploit our natural instincts, making us buy and consume more. Yet, these foods “love” our wallets while “hate” our bodies, contributing to chronic diseases, obesity, and poor mental health.
- The Fast Life, Slow Death: Shopping centres are set up to corner consumers into fast decisions: fast shopping, fast eating, and a fast-paced lifestyle. But this lifestyle is slowly killing us, one bite at a time.
Imported Over Local: What’s in Our Freezers?
Start checking the labels on the products in your freezer aisles. You’ll notice:
- Frozen vegetables from France and China.
- Fish from Thailand and Vietnam.
- Bread products from China.
- Drinks from the USA, China, India and Norway.
Australian-grown and -made products are increasingly rare on these shelves. Where are our local products being sold, and why aren’t they filling our shopping trolleys?
The Future of Food: Will Australia Starve?
By 2035, regions like Louisiana in the United States are predicted to face famine-like conditions due to soil death and corporate land takeovers. Australia is already experiencing similar alarming trends, with farmers increasingly selling their land to escape mounting debts and the destructive pressures of industrial agriculture. If these patterns persist, will Australia too face a future of food scarcity and dependency?
The Crisis Facing Farmers
Geo-engineered weather patterns are exacerbating the crisis, as hail, floods, and firestorms ravage critical food-producing regions. These "natural" disasters often leave farmers with no financial means to rebuild their livelihoods.
Compounding these challenges are the entrenched systems of debt and dependency created by Big Agriculture and the banking sector. Farmers are trapped in cycles of borrowing to replant crops year after year, often with no harvest to repay their loans. Industrial monocropping, dictated by corporate buying power, further depletes soil health, reducing pH levels and encouraging the proliferation of weeds and pests.
As the soil dies, so too does the ability to sustain productive farming. The result is foreclosure, with legacy and inherited lands being sold off, leaving farmers with no choice but to abandon their way of life. Desperation drives many to give up farming altogether, accelerating the decline of rural communities and local food systems.
The Rise of Ultra-Processed Food
This collapse of small-scale farming coincides with a dramatic shift in how we eat. In 2000, 78% of the food Australians purchased was fresh, intended as ingredients for home-cooked meals. Today, that number has plummeted to just 22%. The remaining 78% consists of ultra-processed foods—products that look and taste like food but are loaded with harmful additives, preservatives, and chemicals. These items are designed for shelf life and profit margins, not for nourishment.
Ultra-processed foods are engineered to exploit our taste buds, using sugar, salt, and fat to create addictive flavor profiles. Yet they provide little to no nutritional value, contributing to skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease. This shift away from fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients is both a symptom and a cause of the decline in local food production.
A Desperate Need for Change
The current trajectory is unsustainable. As farmers leave their land, and as our diets become increasingly reliant on industrialized, ultra-processed foods, we edge closer to a future of food insecurity and environmental collapse. Restoring balance requires a collective effort: supporting small-scale farmers, investing in regenerative agriculture, and rejecting the industrial food complex that profits from destruction.
The question remains: Will we act in time to protect the stewards of our land and the quality of our food? Or will we allow the forces of greed and exploitation to dictate our future? The choice is ours to make.
Take Back Control: Grow Your Own Food
The good news is that we can take steps to protect ourselves and reclaim our health:
- Start Small: Even a milo tin filled with dirt and living microbes can grow a thriving basil or parsley plant. These small steps toward self-reliance can make a big difference.
- Parsley Tea for Health: Harvest a few parsley leaves, steep them in hot water for 10-15 minutes, and sip your way to better health. Parsley helps with water retention and supports kidney function, which often slows under stress. Cool the tea if preferred, but don’t skip this nightly ritual for a simple, natural detox.
- Sell Your Seedlings: Growing edible seedlings isn’t just about health; it’s about wealth. Selling seedlings from your backyard or balcony can be a profitable venture. Start small, and you might be surprised by how quickly your garden grows money.
- Know Your Food: Read labels carefully and avoid products with harmful additives. Support local growers and farmers markets where you can access fresh, clean produce.
Food as Medicine
Our ancestors knew the power of food as medicine. By growing even a small portion of our food and avoiding toxic additives, we can reconnect with this wisdom. It’s not just about what’s in your freezer; it’s about taking control of what fuels your body and mind.
Let’s start a movement to prioritise health over convenience. Together, we can reduce the hold of toxic food distribution channels and build a future where everyone has access to clean, nourishing food.