This is not a health food guide; this is not a diet book. This is an in-depth report into the origins and current state of the processed food business, covering everything from the origins and various twists of the Coke/Pepsi rivalry to the acquisition of Kraft by tobacco empire Philip Morris and how they applied lessons learned from tobacco to increase food sales. Along the way the author discusses the three key ingredients in processed food: salt, sugar, and fat; what each does for food; and how the big food companies use them to find the "bliss point" to get our tastebuds completely hooked.

This book is not a demonization of the food industry; Moss goes to some trouble to illustrate the reasons why processed foods have arrived at where they are now, how the people working in these companies are in many ways between a rock and a hard place, and even some of the things they have done or are doing to try and make their products healthier. However, he also illustrates clearly the problems with this model of food production in general, and nobody who reads this book is likely to look at a hot pocket calzone in quite the same way again.

As an audiobook, this was a fascinating listen that was hard to put down. It should be required reading (or listening) in high schools. Actually, it should be required reading for everyone. Whether you are a devotee of hot pockets and froot loops cereal, or whether you consider Michael Pollan to be the last word on food health, this book is certain to entertain and enlighten.