The post-World War II period saw the rapid expansion of the processed food industry and the widespread use of food additives, including preservatives, colorings, and flavorings. Many of these additives were not adequately tested for safety, leading to new concerns about food quality and health. This era laid the groundwork for the modern food safety movement.

The post-war food industry and the rise of processed foods were subjects of concern for poets and writers, who often criticized the artificiality and lack of nutrition in modern foods. The Beat poets and other countercultural writers were particularly critical of the food industry, seeing it as a symbol of the conformity and consumerism of the era.