In her book "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal," Mary Roach highlights the strong impact of social class and racial prejudices on human behavior, particularly in extreme situations. She notes that these ingrained disgusts can lead people to refuse food that they perceive as inferior, even to the point of suffering dire consequences, such as starvation.

The author discusses the British polar explorers, who notably prioritized their own cultural food preferences over the local diets. This "mealtime snobbery" had significant repercussions, illustrating how powerful societal norms can override basic survival instincts.