by Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

Americans sure do love their burgers and fries.

Maybe too many Americans, according to Eric Schlosser. In his new book Fast Food Nation, the Atlantic correspondent and investigative journalist spells out the negatives of the empire of quick cuisine. We've all heard the horror stories about rat hairs and noseblowing. Schlosser's book, which was, following the Oprah Winfrey legal fallout, carefully fact-checked and reviewed by a number of attorneys, goes beyond.

As if E.coli, foot and mouth, mad cow, fat and salt aren't enough, his Michael Moore-esque revelations show how the fast food industry contributes to "mall-ization", childhood and adult obesity and widens the rich-poor gap, as it detrimentally alters ecosystems. "The fast food chains," Schlosser states, "now stand atop a huge food-industrial complex that has gained control of American agriculture."

How? According to Schlosser, mass production of beef has squeezed out independent ranchers as it has fostered large, politically powerful slaughterhouses with poor worker safety standards. Any attempts at governmental regulation are futile.

"Today," he summarizes, "the USDA has startlingly little control over the detection of pathogens in meat and the distribution of contaminated meat." How little?  Clinton administration efforts at food-safety and inspection reform were repeatedly weakened by Congressional Republicans tied to meat-industry pressures. Thus, while auto manufacturers are liable for defective cars, "meatpacking companies today," according to Schlosser, "don't have to reveal the results of pathogen tests to the government."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 76 million cases of food poisoning occur in the U.S. each year. Schlosser further cautions that handling (which we have no control over), and not the amount of cooking, is what matters.

And let's not forget the hormones and antibiotics, another article altogether. To those who commend the proliferation of fast food jobs, he contends, "How good is it ultimately for society to have jobs that are short-term and that essentially provide no training?" "Consider the sort of work that these fast-food jobs have replaced," he continues. "The old diners and hamburger stands relied on skilled short-order cooks. To the degree that the fast-food companies have grown and thrived and replaced more traditional eating places, they have encouraged the rise of a workforce that is poor, transient, and unskilled."

Let's dispel more myths. Fresh? The burgers are frozen and reheated. That smell and taste? Manufactured in a test tube (including "strawberry", "flame-broiled" and "smoky"). Kosher?  You kidding?  (and by the way, those fries contain animal products for flavoring)

What to do? Try the soy substitutes.  Really.  They have come a long, long way. One brand, Lightlife, offers delicious deli slices, hot dogs, burgers, even bacon and bologna that are fat free, high in protein, and kosher.  Pair them with nonfat soy cheese, mustard and pickles, and while not Big Macs (perhaps fortunately), they are tasty and filling. Seitan, Gimme Lean and Veat are surprisingly meat-like.  Fried tofu and vegetable lo mein or pad thai are this diner's idea of food paradise (ask for no or low oil).

Eat like an Israeli.  Discover hummus, tabouleh, falafel and the like. Bean-based products are nutritious, fiber-filled, inexpensive and good sources of protein. Get ideas from salad bars. Variety, rather than the same old burgers and fries, could be a good thing.

If you gotta have meat, go for the natural brands like Coleman and Bell and Evans or Kosher lines, but do so in moderation. Nothing, not even organic practices, can prevent the presence of potentially deadly bacteria or dioxin (found in animal products including dairy). Even fish is no sure bet due to mercury content, but do go for the 2-3 weekly servings for the omegas. Americans, according to Maria Russo in "Unhappy meals" (Salon.com, 2/8/01), spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers or computer software. Food for thought?