When it comes to your food and staying in the know about the issues surrounding what we use to fuel our bodies, Netflix isn’t the first place that comes to mind. While the streaming service does have their fair share of food-centric documentaries, not a ton deal with the systemic fraud that we at Canadian Fraud News are interested in.
Now with Rotten, Netflix ditches the artfully arranged dishes and crisp esthetic in lieu of taking a hard look at the fraud and often dirty business of food and everything it entails. It’s a six-part docu-series from Zero Point Zero, the talented group behind Anthony Bourdain’s fantastic (nee amazing) Parts Unknown. So while the production values are certainly present, it’s the subject matter that hits close to home for everyone at Canadian Fraud News.
From breaking down one of the largest food fraud investigations in the inaugural episode Lawyers, Guns and Honey to how garlic plays a central role in U.S, China relations, Rotten does a great job of spiraling out from a central theme (food) and connecting every facet of our lives back to what we consume. When our lives become busy we often forget about how different facets of our lives are connected to much bigger, global problems. And Rotten takes these different tendrils of society as disparate, disconnected parts and connects them in a way that’s revealing, important and interesting to watch.
Rotten is one of the first documentaries I’ve watched that focuses on the fraud aspect of food. And while yes, other content often warns about the perils of giant corporations infringing on the ability to cultivate sustainable and healthy produce, Rotten actually shows us how the fraud happens and the individuals on a micro level, it affects.
All six episodes of Rotten drops on Netflix January 5th. You can watch the trailer here.
