The unexpected link between big tobacco and popular snack foods

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A new research article published in the journal Addiction reveals that a number of popular snack foods have ties to the big tobacco industry. The authors found that during the years when big tobacco companies owned major food corporations, the products they sold tended to be more intensely flavorful and addictive compared to similar foods not under tobacco company ownership. Using their extensive marketing resources, these companies played a role in shaping consumer preferences, leading to the introduction and promotion of many snacks we enjoy today such as lunchables, oreo cookies, and Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Source

“Many of Today’s Unhealthy Foods Were Brought to You by Big Tobacco.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 19 Sept. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/09/19/addiction-foods-hyperpalatable-tobacco/.