More on foodlike substances and those who push them

My favorite food gadfly, Marc Bittman, in today's NYT skewers the food industry and demands more regulation by the government as an alternative to a future of frankenfood induced chronic disease.  As he points out and any fruit and vegetable broker can tell you, there is precious little profit in unprocessed, natural foods.  Even the stores selling lettuce, oranges, and other healthy items rarely get rich on the proceeds.  Potato chips on the other hand create much more value (unfortunately not for the farmer) and have the added virtue of much greater shelf life.  As Bittman points out, the food industry is like a parasite, but an exceedingly dumb one.  It is killing the host on which it feeds.  If the population develops too many food related diseases, the drumbeat for penalties and regulation will kill the corporations involved.  What to do?  Bittman is all in for government regulation.  The opposite view would be to educate people and hope they will make good choices.  Check out the shopping cart in front of you at the local supermarket.  Heavily sugared cereal, processed frozen entrees and other foodlike substances argue heavily for Bittman's solution.   Education can only go so far when salt, sugar and fat sing their siren song.