4 ms·

I'd like to know if there's any way whole foods can get enshittified. Some people say there's a real difference in health between non-organic and organic foods

I'd like to know if there's any way whole foods can get enshittified. Some people say there's a real difference in health between non-organic and organic foods, others say it's BS. Anecdotally, some people say the meat and produce from places like and Walmart are worse than those from places like Whole foods, and generics are worse than brand names, even ignoring organic vs. non-organic; but I wonder how much is placebo, and how much is a real difference in nutrition. I assume that some products are literally the same thing repackaged, but others are different in ways that matter. There's also things which are supposed to be monitored by the FDA, like using pesticides and injecting meat with saline. My understanding is that the FDA is pretty strict in the US but who knows? Foods like: - Fresh fruit and vegetables - Frozen fruit and vegetables - Canned fruit and vegetables - Eggs - Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt) - Grains (oats, rice) - Fresh meat and fish - Frozen meat and fish - Canned meat and fish (e.g. canned chicken, tuna) - Ground meat - Seasoning - Olive oil, butter

lozenge 3y ago
From what I understand, if you want to farm in a way that prioritises taste and quality over cost, you need to get that Organic certification. Otherwise, consumers will not pay for it. Meanwhile, you could also chase the Organic certification to fetch a higher price, but not care about the taste... then it's up to the buyer (mainly the grocery store) whether you reached their quality bar. I think there's a big regional variation as well. By the time the avocados get from CA to NJ, maybe the different offerings don't taste that different. But the opposite might be true for another foodstuff.
hammock 3y ago
USDA* not FDA You are only standing at the edge of the rabbit hole friend. Don’t be afraid to take a few steps in
jonatron 3y ago
New seed varieties made for growth and shelf life, greenhouse grown instead of field grown
- armchairhacker 3y ago
  Yes but those are examples where it seems it doesn't matter, also GMOs. Simply using breeding, genetic engineering, and artificial growth to create more efficient and resilient crops isn't a bad thing, it only is if it somehow makes quality worse as a by-product. Even then, if the product is just less nutrient-dense, it's less of an issue than products with additives known to cause immune responses and other health issues (including pesticides which crop engineering can make redundant, so in some cases it's even a good thing).
  - arcticbull 3y ago
    > Simply using breeding, genetic engineering, and artificial growth to create more efficient and resilient crops isn't a bad thing, it only is if it somehow makes quality worse as a by-product. Have you met the Red Delicious Apple? It was grown specifically for shelf life and aesthetics and it became so mealy and tasteless that people stopped eating it. [1] [1] https://thecounter.org/history-economics-red-delicious-apples/ https://thecounter.org/history-economics-red-delicious-apple...
darth_avocado 3y ago
I’ve done the comparison recently, the difference between the same brand from Whole Foods and Safeway for example is basically none, with Whole Foods selling it at a premium. However, the quality can vary if you buy a premium brand from Whole Foods vs the generic from Safeway.

lozenge 3y ago

From what I understand, if you want to farm in a way that prioritises taste and quality over cost, you need to get that Organic certification. Otherwise, consumers will not pay for it. Meanwhile, you could also chase the Organic certification to fetch a higher price, but not care about the taste... then it's up to the buyer (mainly the grocery store) whether you reached their quality bar. I think there's a big regional variation as well. By the time the avocados get from CA to NJ, maybe the different offerings don't taste that different. But the opposite might be true for another foodstuff.

hammock 3y ago

USDA* not FDA You are only standing at the edge of the rabbit hole friend. Don’t be afraid to take a few steps in

jonatron 3y ago

New seed varieties made for growth and shelf life, greenhouse grown instead of field grown

armchairhacker 3y ago
Yes but those are examples where it seems it doesn't matter, also GMOs. Simply using breeding, genetic engineering, and artificial growth to create more efficient and resilient crops isn't a bad thing, it only is if it somehow makes quality worse as a by-product. Even then, if the product is just less nutrient-dense, it's less of an issue than products with additives known to cause immune responses and other health issues (including pesticides which crop engineering can make redundant, so in some cases it's even a good thing).
- arcticbull 3y ago
  > Simply using breeding, genetic engineering, and artificial growth to create more efficient and resilient crops isn't a bad thing, it only is if it somehow makes quality worse as a by-product. Have you met the Red Delicious Apple? It was grown specifically for shelf life and aesthetics and it became so mealy and tasteless that people stopped eating it. [1] [1] https://thecounter.org/history-economics-red-delicious-apples/ https://thecounter.org/history-economics-red-delicious-apple...

darth_avocado 3y ago

I’ve done the comparison recently, the difference between the same brand from Whole Foods and Safeway for example is basically none, with Whole Foods selling it at a premium. However, the quality can vary if you buy a premium brand from Whole Foods vs the generic from Safeway.