Artwork title: bliss point

Author: Gringo

Created: circa 2023

Materials: Acrylic, potato chips, human saliva, and acrylic varnish on synthetic wood.

Green pigment code: PG7.PBk9.PY74

This work of art called bliss point aims to alert citizens to the practices of the food industry, based on the research of award-winning journalist Michael Moss in his work “Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us.” His research reveals how large food companies deliberately study, control, and exploit the use of salt, sugar, and fat in their products to generate cravings and encourage overconsumption.

Key Points Revealed by Michael Moss

  • Engineering Food “Happiness”: The food industry invests significantly in scientific research to determine the “bliss point” of its products, the optimal amount of sugar, salt, and fat that maximizes their appeal and creates an intense desire in consumers. Scientists like Howard Moskowitz have pioneered these techniques, helping companies to “optimize” their products to generate the greatest possible avidity.
  • Exploitation of Childhood Biology: Companies are aware of the vulnerability of children and use marketing strategies specifically aimed at them to create brand loyalty from an early age.
  • Convenience as a Strategy: The industry has prioritized convenience in its products (easy to buy, store, open, prepare, and eat) as a key factor in dominating the food market, significantly influencing eating habits.
  • Persuasive Marketing and Advertising: Beyond the formulation of foods, advertising and marketing strategies are critical tools for creating appeal, especially towards children, through specific codes and campaigns.
  • Knowledge of Health Consequences: The industry is aware of the negative impact of poor diets on public health, comparable to that of tobacco. However, instead of directly addressing the problem, they often focus on deflecting criticism and promoting physical activity as a solution.
  • Research for “Avidity,” Not for Nutrition: Much of the research focuses on identifying what drives cravings beyond hunger, discovering that emotional factors, taste, aroma, appearance, and texture play a crucial role.
  • Parallels with the Tobacco Industry: Just as the tobacco industry faced lawsuits and a shift in public opinion due to the harmful effects of its products, the food industry could face a similar fate in relation to obesity. Industry figures such as Geoffrey Bible, former CEO of Philip Morris, recognized this potential “public accountability” surrounding obesity.
  • Influence on Government Guidelines: The government, through entities like the Department of Agriculture (USDA), often seems more focused on the promotion of certain agricultural products than on the regulation of food industry practices that could be harmful to health. Even industry-funded marketing programs have sought to influence public opinion on health issues such as the link between red meat and cancer.
  • The “Illusion” of Choice: While consumers have the final ability to decide what to buy and how much to eat, the food industry deploys a complex network of strategies to influence those decisions, often exploiting our biological and emotional impulses.

Deepening the Understanding of the “Bliss Point”

The “bliss point” is a central concept in the food industry’s strategy, and it was fundamentally established and popularized by the work of Howard Moskowitz, a pioneer in the field of sensory psychophysics and marketing. Moskowitz applied principles of mathematics and experimental psychology to help companies determine the precise amount of ingredients like sugar, salt, and fat that would make their products more pleasurable and, therefore, more addictive to consumers. He founded a consulting firm in White Plains, New York, where he achieved numerous successes by assisting companies across various sectors, including prominently the food industry.

The calculation of the bliss point involves a meticulous process that usually includes taste tests with consumer panels. Participants are offered different versions of a product with variations in the concentration of a specific ingredient (for example, different levels of sweetness in a soda). Data is then collected on their preferences and levels of enjoyment. Moskowitz used regression analysis and mathematical optimization models to analyze this data and identify the point or the optimal range where sensory pleasure is maximized. It is important to note that, as Moskowitz discovered, the bliss point is not always a single point, but often a range or a plateau of concentrations that generate a similar level of pleasure. Subsequent research, such as that of Julie Mennella at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, has also focused on determining the bliss point for sugar in children of different ages.

Publicly traded companies are heavily dependent on the concept of the bliss point to ensure the success of their products and, ultimately, to meet the growth and profitability expectations of their investors. In a highly competitive market with thousands of options available, reaching the precise bliss point in their formulations is crucial for driving sales and generating consumer loyalty, especially in product categories such as snacks and beverages where purchasing is often based more on craving and immediate pleasure than on nutritional need. Failing to reach the ideal bliss point can result in lower sales; while exceeding it can lead to a product that is perceived as too intense or unpleasant. The optimization of the bliss point not only maximizes appeal but can also allow companies to slightly reduce the amount of costly ingredients such as sugar without sacrificing consumer pleasure, which translates into significant savings on a large scale. The successful application of the bliss point is seen as a key competitive advantage that directly contributes to the revenues and valuation of these companies in the stock market.

Implications for Citizens

Michael Moss’s revelations suggest that citizens’ food choices are influenced by industrial practices designed to maximize the consumption of products high in salt, sugar, and fat. This intentional manipulation can contribute to public health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

It is crucial that citizens are informed and aware of these tactics. Understanding how the food industry designs and markets its products can empower individuals to make healthier choices and to be more critical of the processed foods they consume.

This warning through art seeks to foster greater awareness about the influence of the food industry on our eating habits, urging citizens to prioritize nutritional information, to be critical of marketing, and to make informed decisions for the benefit of their health.

Sources consulted

  1. Moss, Michael. (2013). Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. The Random House Publishing Group.
  2. Schatzker, M. (2016). The Dorito effect: The surprising new truth about food and flavor. Simon & Schuster.
  3. Moss, M. (2022). Hooked: Food, free will, and how the food giants exploit our addictions. Random House.
  4. YouTube Video: “Michael Moss on the Processed Food Industry.” (2022)  (56:26) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na7QCvcg6-0