Marcus Aurelius, Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor, said: “Everything you hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything you see is a perspective, not the truth. Countless companies in the United States encourage families to try their appealing foods, but it seems these families don't want to know what's in the foods they eat. People should avoid prepackaged foods. People should avoid prepackaged foods because they may be artificial. An artificial food consists of several materials and ingredients to replicate the appearance of real food. According to Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, "Now there are tomatoes all year round, picked when they were green and ripened with ethylene gas" (Food Inc). In other words, these chemicals are used to convince society that it's just a healthy tomato, but few people understand why it's so deliciously red. Additionally, just as these tomatoes are ignited by gases, a vast majority of other foods are affected by food colorings, colorings, and other additives intended to enhance the shape of fresh foods. Allowing companies to genetically modify, process, and artificially preserve them for humans to consume and label them as “food” insults people’s health. These pre-packaged edible products can be found in any corner of a local supermarket. The colors and additives themselves cannot be seen or tasted, but they are used to enhance the flavor and appearance of these foods. Additives used to preserve food are not only found in the food aisle, but are also used on other products like makeup and toothpaste. Modern testing was done to ensure that certain food coloring ingredients were safe. “Many countries with similar controls on food coloring also ban Red No. 40” (Food Coloring 2). Individual...... middle of paper ......s. The foods are artificial, pose health risks and are controlling. Clearly, the food industry is in dire need of change. It is significant that people are aware of this problem because soon the food industry will take complete control of the food supply. If people don't want to give them that power, then they should buy organic food and learn to hunt themselves. Works Cited “food coloring.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. November 19, 2013 Hayman, Mark. “How eating at home can save your life.” Web log publication. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, January 9, 2011. Web. November 18, 2013. Jauregui, Andres. "National beef recall: E. Coli may have contaminated 22,000 pounds of ground meat, USDA says." Web log publication. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, June 20, 2013. Web. November 19. 2013.