The merger of McCormick-Unilever’s $44.8 billion just wiped out your illusion of choice in the spice and seasoning aisles. It’s the same company that was caught using ethylene oxide to sterilize its spices—a chemical classified as a probable carcinogen that the EU banned from food in 1991. When Consumer Reports tested 126 spice products in 2021, they found that one-third contained arsenic, lead, and cadmium at levels deemed concerning, with McCormick products such as basil, ginger, oregano, paprika, thyme, and turmeric among those flagged. After a class-action lawsuit that resulted in a $3 million settlement, you’d think they’d focus on cleaning up their supply chain. Instead, they decided to buy more control over your food choices. Those Knorr seasonings you thought were an alternative? Frank’s RedHot? Hellman’s mayonnaise? All under the same umbrella now. When a megacorporation controls every aisle in the grocery store, competition disappears and your health becomes secondary to its profit margins.