Are Potato Chips & Crisps Companies Committing Murder?
The world’s media appear to have engaged in some sort of health war with Chips and Crisps companies.
A month does not seem to drift by without one of the world’s major news resources releasing some kind of scandal or scare-mongering article or news item about the world’s most popular snack food.
It is arguably that very fact that makes Chips & Crisps an easy target, but some of the inferences and poorly researched articles are beyond nonsense.
Taking a month period at random towards the end of 2013, these were some of the stories that were promoted by the English speaking media. There were no doubt more in other languages.
A month does not seem to drift by without one of the world’s major news resources releasing some kind of scandal or scare-mongering article or news item about the world’s most popular snack food.
It is arguably that very fact that makes Chips & Crisps an easy target, but some of the inferences and poorly researched articles are beyond nonsense.
Taking a month period at random towards the end of 2013, these were some of the stories that were promoted by the English speaking media. There were no doubt more in other languages.
Country: UK
Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: How a bag of crisps can drive a cat nuts! Vets discover everyday noises can cause seizures in pets
Synopsis: Probably an excuse to print a couple of pictures of cute kittens, but a whole article was devoted to cats being scared of the rustling of Crisps bags. Honestly. Of course, they could have written about kitchen foil, but that would have missed their target.
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Also reported on by the Telegraph
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Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: How a bag of crisps can drive a cat nuts! Vets discover everyday noises can cause seizures in pets
Synopsis: Probably an excuse to print a couple of pictures of cute kittens, but a whole article was devoted to cats being scared of the rustling of Crisps bags. Honestly. Of course, they could have written about kitchen foil, but that would have missed their target.
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Also reported on by the Telegraph
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Country: UK
Resource: Mirror
Headline: Puppy accidentally suffocates in bag of DORITOS crisps
Synopsis: The animal abuse continues, as in the same week another of the UK’s leading newspapers provides a story about how dangerous food packaging could be!
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Resource: Mirror
Headline: Puppy accidentally suffocates in bag of DORITOS crisps
Synopsis: The animal abuse continues, as in the same week another of the UK’s leading newspapers provides a story about how dangerous food packaging could be!
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Country: USA
Resource: WTKR News Channel 3
Headline: Don’t Waste Your Money: Popped Chips
Synopsis: We will keep this simple: Popped Chips are a fad, blah, blah. Popped Chips are no more healthy than regular Potato Chips, blah, blah.
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Resource: WTKR News Channel 3
Headline: Don’t Waste Your Money: Popped Chips
Synopsis: We will keep this simple: Popped Chips are a fad, blah, blah. Popped Chips are no more healthy than regular Potato Chips, blah, blah.
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Country: UK
Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: Eating al desko DOES make you fat: Workers gorge on crisps, chocolate and Coke rather than having a proper lunch
Synopsis: The Daily Mail again. This time you get the impression that the phrase “al desko” caused great mirth in the newspaper offices, and an article was constructed from there. And yes, eating food and not moving will make you fat.
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Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: Eating al desko DOES make you fat: Workers gorge on crisps, chocolate and Coke rather than having a proper lunch
Synopsis: The Daily Mail again. This time you get the impression that the phrase “al desko” caused great mirth in the newspaper offices, and an article was constructed from there. And yes, eating food and not moving will make you fat.
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Country: UK
Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: Turkey and gravy croissants, mint chocolate Pringles and mince pie crisps: Christmas food NO ONE wants to find in their stocking
Synopsis: Erm, yes, the Daily Mail again. Goodness only knows what their problem is! Anyway, it’s a round-up of the Christmas goodies the food companies released for the 2013 holiday period.
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Resource: Daily Mail
Headline: Turkey and gravy croissants, mint chocolate Pringles and mince pie crisps: Christmas food NO ONE wants to find in their stocking
Synopsis: Erm, yes, the Daily Mail again. Goodness only knows what their problem is! Anyway, it’s a round-up of the Christmas goodies the food companies released for the 2013 holiday period.
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Country: USA
Resource: Fox News
Headline: Chemical in some Fried & Baked Foods Linked to Cancer
Synopsis: Acrylamide. The ‘experts’ admit it is unproven that the chemical causes cancer, but it does cover the subject fairly comprehensively.
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Country: Kenya
Resource: Standard Digital
Headline: Crunchy, but crisps can give you cancer, doctors warn
Synopsis: Another article about acrylamide.
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Also reported on by USA Today
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Resource: Fox News
Headline: Chemical in some Fried & Baked Foods Linked to Cancer
Synopsis: Acrylamide. The ‘experts’ admit it is unproven that the chemical causes cancer, but it does cover the subject fairly comprehensively.
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Country: Kenya
Resource: Standard Digital
Headline: Crunchy, but crisps can give you cancer, doctors warn
Synopsis: Another article about acrylamide.
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Also reported on by USA Today
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Country: USA
Resource: ABC 7
Headline: Spicy chips, snacks are harmful for kids, doctors warn
Synopsis: “After weeks of on-and-off stomach pain, 12-year-old Andrew Medina told his mom it was time to see a doctor. He described the burning on his left side.” This is the introduction to a general warning by Dr. Martha Rivera, White Memorial Medical Center. The article continues, “Gastritis is an inflammation, erosion or irritation of the lining of the stomach. It can come on gradually or suddenly. Symptoms include bloating, burning, vomiting and even hiccups.” The scare story is undermined somewhat by the revelation that the poor child’s pain may or may not have been partly caused by eating up to thirty packets of spicy Chips a month!
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Resource: ABC 7
Headline: Spicy chips, snacks are harmful for kids, doctors warn
Synopsis: “After weeks of on-and-off stomach pain, 12-year-old Andrew Medina told his mom it was time to see a doctor. He described the burning on his left side.” This is the introduction to a general warning by Dr. Martha Rivera, White Memorial Medical Center. The article continues, “Gastritis is an inflammation, erosion or irritation of the lining of the stomach. It can come on gradually or suddenly. Symptoms include bloating, burning, vomiting and even hiccups.” The scare story is undermined somewhat by the revelation that the poor child’s pain may or may not have been partly caused by eating up to thirty packets of spicy Chips a month!
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