Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that oysters are not only popular items at seafood festivals, but vital to the health of our estuaries?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Sandra Brooke, Ph.D., research faculty at Florida State University's Coastal and Marine Laboratory and scientific director and lead investigator of the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative.  Brooke has worked on deep-water coral ecosystems in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, Norwegian Fjords, South Atlantic Bight and the Gulf of Mexico, including  assessing damage following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She'll discuss the ecosystem services provided by oysters, oyster shell recycling, oyster farming, and why and how oyster reefs are threatened, and can be restored.Related Websites: https://marinelab.fsu.edu/

Did you know that consolidation in the fertilizer industry results in environmental harm and less choice for farmers? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Basel Musharbash, antitrust and trade regulation lawyer, and author of Kings Over the Necessaries of Life: Monopolization and the Elimination of Competition in America's Agriculture System. Musharbash discusses how consolidation in food and agriculture affects farmers, consumers and the well-being of rural communities with a unique and surprising focus on fertilizer.Related Websites:  https://farmaction.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kings-Over-the-Necessaries-of-Life-Monopolization-and-the-Elimination-of-Competition-in-Americas-Agriculture-System_Farm-Action.pdf

Did you know that consolidation in our food and agriculture systems has more to do with the price of eggs than bird flu? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Basel Musharbash, antitrust and trade regulation lawyer, and author of Kings Over the Necessaries of Life: Monopolization and the Elimination of Competition in America's Agriculture System. Musharbash discusses the real reasons why egg prices escalated, and the larger impact of consolidation in our food system. (Part 1 of 2)Related Websites:  https://farmaction.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kings-Over-the-Necessaries-of-Life-Monopolization-and-the-Elimination-of-Competition-in-Americas-Agriculture-System_Farm-Action.pdf

Did you know that some food dyes can have a negative influence children's behavior? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Peter Lurie, MD, MPH, President and Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit food and health watchdog organization based in Washington, DC. Lurie discusses the workings of the FDA, RFK's position on food dyes, the EU's policy on food dyes, cuts to FDA and NIH grants, and ways to advocate for smart food and health policies.Related Websites: CSPI: www.cspinet.org Chemical Cuisine: https://www.cspinet.org/page/chemical-cuisine-food-additive-safety-ratings NIH Grants termination: https://www.cspinet.org/case/nih-grants-termination

Did you know that Roundup for residential /consumer use has been re-formulated to replace glyphosate with even more harmful chemicals? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Kendra Klein, PhD., Deputy Director of Science at Friends of the Earth. Klein describes new formulations, health risks of herbicides and misconceptions about “regenerative” and no-till agriculture.Related Websites: www.foe.org New Roundup, New Risks: Bayer's Controversial Weed Killer is More Toxic than Ever: https://foe.org/resources/new-roundup-new-risks/ Organic for All: https://foe.org/organic-for-all/ Rethinking No-till: https://foe.org/resources/rethinking-no-till/

Did you know that USDA's recent cuts to local food promotion grants will thwart farmers' ability to provide fresh, nourishing, local food to schools and food pantries? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Liz Graznak, MO-based certified organic farmer. Graznak will discuss the impacts of recent USDA grant funding cuts on her farm's labor and food production, plus broader impacts on climate, environment and public health.Related Websites: Happy Hollow Farm: organic farming, climate smart agriculture, USDA, Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, MAHA, labor Real Organic Project interview: https://realorganicproject.org/liz-graznak-surprise-25-percent-market-gone-215/ Union of Concerned Scientists:  https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/11-trillion-reward.pdf Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA): https://odphp.health.gov/foodismedicine/federal-resource-hub/local-food-purchase-assistance-cooperative-agreement-programLocal Food for Schools: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/lfs

Did you know that federal budget allocations for farm to school purchasing have been cut, harming farmers, rural economies and the diet quality of school children? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Ryan Betz, MS., policy specialist with the National Farm to School Network where he supports the Network's federal policy efforts, as well as managing "Who's at the Table?" School Meals Campaign advocating for Values-Aligned School Meals for All. Betz describes the federal cuts to Farm to School programming, and suggests ways we can voice our opposition to funding cuts and help restore vital programs that invest in our national well-being.Related Websites: Farm to School webinar: Cuts that Bite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvQdg2AegzE Funding Farm to School: https://www.farmtoschool.org/resources-main/funding-farm-to-school Farm to School Policy Action: https://www.farmtoschool.org/policy/take-action

Did you know that “geohealth” refers to health and disease through a geographical lens? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Alan Kolok, PhD , Professor Emeritus, Environmental Toxicology, University of Idaho, Volunteer Faculty, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, author of Modern Poisons: A Brief Introduction to Contemporary Toxicology, and coauthor of “Exploring the Joint Association Between Agrichemical Mixtures and Pediatric Cancer,”GeoHealth (Feb. 2025). Kolok discusses his unique research on exposure to agricultural chemical mixtures and incidence of pediatric cancers. He also describes the importance of the USGS Pesticide National Synthesis Project, and related maps in scientific research.Related Websites: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39944898/ USGS Pesticide National Synthesis Project maps: https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/

Did you know that regional, community grocery stores can create stronger, more resilient communities?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her continued conversation with Lea Rainey, founder of Roots Zero Waste Market and Organic Café, located in Garden City, ID. Rainey introduces us to the term “food ethics,” and discusses food pricing, how she sources local/regional organic food, pays her employees fair wages, and chooses reusable containers over single-use plastic. Part 2 of 2.Related Websites: Roots Zero Waste Market: https://www.rootszerowastemarket.com/ https://idahonews.com/news/local/roots-zero-waste-market-in-garden-city-to-eliminate-waste-in-grocery-stores Egg prices: https://farmaction.us/farm-action-calls-for-an-investigation-into-skyrocketing-egg-prices-and-restricted-supply/ Organically Grown Company: https://www.organicgrown.com/

Did you know that the grocery industry makes a significant contribution to both food waste and the global plastic crisis? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Lea Rainey, founder of Roots Zero Waste Market and Organic Cafe, located in Garden City, ID. Rainey discusses what makes her grocery store unique, including her efforts to reduce waste, offer local/regional organic food, and focus on alternatives to single-use plastic. Part 1 of 2.Related Websites: Roots Zero Waste Market: https://www.rootszerowastemarket.com/ https://idahonews.com/news/local/roots-zero-waste-market-in-garden-city-to-eliminate-waste-in-grocery-stores Formaticum cheese paper: https://www.formaticum.com/pages/cheese-storage-101 Contronics: https://www.ecrloss.com/innovation/ecr-top-30-innovations-in-food-waste-loss-2023/contronics

Did you know that farmworkers face a growing number of hardships and threats both in their jobs and communities?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Fabiola Ortiz Valdez, Director of Organizing, Food Chain Workers Alliance. Valdez discusses farmworkers' lives and the struggles they face as they toil to put food on our plates.Related Websites: Report: https://farmworkertribunal.org/#summaryhttps://www.ncfh.org/uploads/3/8/6/8/38685499/facts_about_farmworkers_fact_sheet_1.10.23.pdf

Did you know that there are global brokers looking for land to “grab” as a way to capture water and food production? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Nate Halverson, Emmy Award-winning journalist at The Center for Investigative Reporting, and producer and lead reporter in The Grab, a feature-length documentary that uncovers the powerful interests vying to control global food and water supplies. Related Websites: The Grab: https://revealnews.org/the-grab/

Did you know that plastic recycling is a myth? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Megan Wolff, PhD, MPH, public health practitioner, subject matter expert on plastics and human health, visiting faculty at Bennington College, and Executive Director of the Physicians and Scientists Network for Advocacy on Plastics and Health (P-SNAP). Wolff discusses the myths of plastic recycling and “bio-plastics,” efforts of communities to ban single-use plastics, “plasticulture,” and extended producer responsibility. She is offering a virtual course through Bennington College to students and the general public: Class: Plastics, Microplastics, and Human Health – Spring 2025 ; Wednesdays | 7:00–8:50 pm ET, April 16 – May 28, 2025; Register hereRelated Websites: Minderoo report: https://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/10.5334/aogh.4056 https://psnap.org/

Did you know plastics don't break down, they break up? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Megan Wolff, PhD, MPH, public health practitioner, subject matter expert on plastics and human health, visiting faculty at Bennington College, and Executive Director of the Physicians and Scientists Network for Advocacy on Plastics and Health (P-SNAP). Wolff discusses the growing health effects from the increasing amounts of plastics in our environment.Related Websites: Minderoo report: https://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/10.5334/aogh.4056 https://psnap.org/

Did you know that H5 influenza (also called bird flu) will continue to spread into new species and threaten human lives? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Carol Cardona, Ph.D., DVM, Professor and Endowed Chair in Avian Health in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at the University of MN – St. Paul.  Dr. Cardona discusses avian influenza, (popularly called “bird flu”) or H5N1, the spread to new species, risk to human health, vaccination, farm worker health, and the need to support public health agencies in their efforts to educate producers and consumers, and protect all species.Related Websites: https://vetmed.umn.edu/bio/college-of-veterinary-medicine/carol-cardona Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center: https://umash.umn.edu/hpai-toolkit/

Did you know that Mexico is trying to protect their health and food sovereignty rights to reject US GMO corn exports for use in their corn tortillas? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Timothy Wise, MS, Senior Research Fellow at the Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University, investigative journalist for U.S. Right to Know, and the author of Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food.  Wise discusses the impact of the U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement (formerly NAFTA) on Mexican food sovereignty and health, and the potential impacts of President Trump's trade tariffs. He also discusses the scientific evidence Mexico has compiled showing real health concerns from consuming GMO corn.Related Websites: Health Concerns from GM crops: https://usrtk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DOSSIER-MAIZ-2024-ENGfinal-5.pdf https://www.timothyawise.com/

Did you know that whatever your interest, you can use it to make positive change in your community? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Mackenzie Feldman, founder and co-director of Re:wild Your Campus, and co-author of Groundbakers: 60+ Plant-Based Comfort Food Recipes and 16 Leaders Changing the Food System. Feldman discusses her work to eliminate synthetic pesticides on campus grounds, her research on cover-crops, and her cookbook which includes recipes and empowering stories from food system leaders creating positive food system change.Related Websites: https://www.rewildyourcampus.org/ Ground Bakers: https://www.groundbakers.com/ Into the Weeds documentary: https://www.intotheweedsimpact.com/the-film Walking Softer: https://www.walkingsofter.org/ 

Did you know that industrialized hog farming has harmed rural communities and public health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Sonja Eayrs, attorney, farm advocate and author of Dodge County Inc.: Big Ag and the Undoing of Rural America. Eayrs describes the corporatization of hog farming and the resulting wake of destruction, including fouled air and water, declining rural communities, harassment against those who speak out, and methods of corporate indoctrination.  Related Websites: https://www.sonjatromeayrs.com/

Did you know that nutrition can be an unspoken tool of oppression for marginalized populations? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with David Wiss, PhD, RD, pioneer in the field of nutrition and mental health. Wiss discusses his food-positive approach in addiction recovery and disordered eating. He explains how the ‘all foods can fit' approach can backfire, how and why nutrition is a social justice movement, and the challenges when trying to change the food system in institutions. He also discusses commercial determinants of health.Related Websites: Nutrition In Recovery: https://drdavidwiss.com/ Wise Mind Nutrition App to “Nurture your body, quiet your mind, and rediscover balance through nutrition and mental health support.”  https://wisemindnutrition.com/?utm_source=DrDavidWiss.com  Dismantling the Myth of “All Foods Fit” in Eating Disorder Treatment: https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40337-024-01017-9  Ultra-Processed Foods and Mental Health: Where do eating Disorders fit into the Puzzle: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/12/1955New FDA Rule on the  “healthy” label: https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-finalizes-updated-healthy-nutrient-content-claim

Did you know that over 30 percent of consumers say most of their meals are eaten alone? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Mike Kostyo, MA, Vice President of Menu Matters, LLC, and “trendologist.” Kostyo will discuss food and societal trends for 2025, including flavor, travel, trade and GLP-1 drugs. Kostyo says one way to address our national epidemic of loneliness and disconnection is to share more meals with others, and he encourages us to enjoy new food experiences in 2025.Related Websites: https://menumatters.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrkostyo/

Did you know that Chef Sean Sherman's James Beard award-winning restaurant, Owamni, in Minneapolis, MN features decolonized foods? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Sean Sherman, a.k.a. the “Sioux Chef.” Chef Sherman discusses the meaning of colonization and describes his mission to develop and promote Indigenous foodways throughout North America.Related Websites: https://seansherman.com/ www.natifs.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OoJeZqmh8E

Did you know that PFAS refers to a class of chemicals that are ubiquitous in our environment but pose significant health risks? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Kyla Bennett, PhD, JD, Director of Science Policy for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Bennet discusses the toxicity of PFAS, how and why they get into our water, soil, food and bodies, and ways to avoid and control exposure.Related Websites: Green Science Policy Institute: https://greensciencepolicy.org/harmful-chemicals/pfas/ https://peer.org/author/kyla-bennett/page/2/ Petition to EPA: https://peer.org/petition-tell-epa-to-get-pfas-out-of-pesticides/

Did you know that sewage sludge or biosolids when applied to farmland can contaminate soil, water and food with PFAS? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Bill Pluecker, Maine House of Representatives, farmer and Public Policy organizer for the Main Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.  PFAS are a class of toxic chemicals known as “forever chemicals.” Representative Pluecker will explain the impact of PFAS contamination on Maine farmers, responsible parties, ways to prevent further contamination and potential farmer compensation.Related Websites: https://barnraisingmedia.com/the-farm-bill-must-support-farmers-affected-by-pfas-contaminated-sewage-sludge/ https://civileats.com/2024/12/18/why-are-pesticide-companies-fighting-state-laws-to-address-pfas/ https://pfasproject.com/ www.mofga.org

Did you know that specific nutrients can help aid our immune system in preventing and treating the symptoms of cold, flu and Covid 19?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Jacob Mey, PhD, RD,  Registered Dietitian and nutrition researcher at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, as they delve into the best diet and nutrition approaches to support our immune system through the cold and flu season and beyond. For resources from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center see: https://www.pbrc.edu/training-and-education/community-health-resources/Related Websites: The Role of Nutrition in Mitigating the Effects of COVID-19 from Infection through PASC: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9961621/#B72-nutrients-15-00866 Dietary Supplements for Immune Function and Infectious Diseases: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ImmuneFunction-HealthProfessional/ Too much zinc and copper deficiency: https://thewaitingroom.karger.com/knowledge-transfer/zinc-oversupplementation-and-copper-deficiency/ Emerging Nutrition Approaches to Support the Mind and Muscle for Healthy Aging: file:///C:/Users/Dan/Downloads/rpn.2204022.pdf

Did you know that neonicotinoids are among the most ecologically destructive pesticides we've seen since DDT? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Dan Raichel, J.D., Executive Director of the Pollinators and Pesticides Initiative at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Raichel discusses the widespread use of, and harm from, neonicotinoid use in agriculture, lawns and gardens, and New York state's Birds and Bees Protection Act. Learn how “neonics,” the widely used neurotoxic class of pesticides, cause harm to bees, pollinators, birds, soil microbes, fish, and mammals including humans.Related Websites: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/daniel-raichel/new-york-enacts-nation-leading-law-protect-bees-birds-and-people  www.nrdc.org Saw Mill River Audubon presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI9IZtMYQXw

Did you know that 1 in 3 Americans have pre-diabetes? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, CPT, Registered Dietitian, certified diabetes educator and certified personal trainer. Palinski-Wade discusses the role of sleep, stress and key nutrients to control blood glucose and reduce belly fat.Related Websites: www.erinpalinski.com https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/communication-resources/1-in-3-americans.html

Did you know that dieting is one of the greatest contributors to weight gain? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Supatra Tovar, Ph.D., RD, clinical psychologist, Registered Dietitian and author of Deprogram Diet Culture: Rethink your relationship with food, heal your mind and live a diet-free life. Tovar explains how and why diets are doomed to fail and ways we can harness the power of our thoughts to help achieve a healthful weight.Related Websites: www.drsupatratovar.com (http://www.drsupatratovar.com/) www.anew-insight.com (http://www.anew-insight.com/)

Did you know that GERD is one of the most common Gi disorders in the United States? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with John Pandolfino, MD, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Northwestern Medicine, and Director of the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Institute, Chicago, IL. Pandolfino discusses symptoms and treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including drugs, diet, and the gut-brain connection.Related Websites: https://www.nm.org/conditions-and-care-areas/gastroenterology/gastroesophageal-reflux-disease/treatments

Did you know that organic farming is climate-smart agriculture? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Abby Youngblood, Executive Director of the National Organic Coalition. Youngblood discusses the multiple benefits of organic food and farming,  plus the potential challenges and policy advocacy opportunities related to the Farm Bill, and incoming Presidential administration.Related Websites: www.nationalorganiccoalition.org

Did you know that 50 percent of all food produced in the United States is handled at some point by migrant farm workers? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Marita Canedo, coordinator of the Milk with Dignity Program for Migrant Justice, a Vermont-based advocacy organization with a mission to empower the immigrant farm worker community and organize for economic justice and human rights. Canedo will discuss the exploitation of immigrant dairy farm workers and routes to empowerment and justice – through solidarity, not charity.Related Websites: Silenced Voices: https://migrantjustice.net/videos Migrant Justice: https://migrantjustice.net/about Milk with Dignity: https://migrantjustice.net/milk-with-dignity-campaign

Did you know that nearly all non-organic, commercially grown corn and approximately half of soybeans, cotton and wheat seeds are treated with neonicotinoid pesticides? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Rebecca Raney, investigative journalist at U.S. Right to Know. Raney discusses her series of articles on neonicotinoids, a class of systemic neurotoxic insecticides tied to bee and other pollinator deaths (as well as harm to soil and human health), and how pesticide companies shape bee research agendas and manage public perceptions to deflect attention away from neonicotinoids as a driver of the current bee crisis.  Related Websites: https://usrtk.org/category/bees-neonics/ Tracking the Pesticide Industry Propaganda Network: https://usrtk.org/pesticides/tracking-the-agrichemical-industry-propaganda-network/  Birds and Bees Protection Act: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-signs-birds-and-bees-act-nation-leading-legislation-protect-new-yorkers-and

Did you know that gas stoves pose health hazards, especially to vulnerable populations? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Mark Vossler, M.D., cardiologist, and President-elect of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Vossler discusses the unhealthy air pollution from gas stoves, related health risks, including causing and exacerbating asthma, vulnerable populations, and ways to mitigate risks. Related Websites: Rewiring America: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/ Gas Stove Pollution Fact Sheet: https://psr.org/resources/gas-stove-pollution-fact-sheet/

Did you know that in September, the Appalachian region was surprisingly hit by Hurricane Helene which destroyed mountain communities and farms, disrupted their water infrastructure, and impact their tightly-knit, well-connected regional food system.  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Molly Nicholie, Executive Director of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Nicholi will discuss the impact of Hurricane Helene on the region's food system, as well as recovery efforts.Related Websites: asapconnections.org 

Did you know that community networking is key to taking steps toward mitigating climate change? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Marianne Krasny, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Civic Ecology Lab at Cornell University and author of In This Together: Connecting with your Community to Combat the Climate Crisis. Krasny explains “network climate action” - the power of our social networks in making collective lifestyle changes and instituting policies for mitigating climate change.Related Websites: https://cals.cornell.edu/marianne-elizabeth-krasny webinar series: https://www.civicecology.org/prd

Did you know that agroecology offers a holistic approach to agriculture? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Alexis E. Racelis, PhD, Professor of Agroecology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.  Racelis discusses the impact of climate change on agriculture in his unique geographical region in south Texas, and the potential benefits of agroecology and regionalized food systems.Related Websites: https://www.rgvagroecology.com/ “Planet Hunger: Inside the Global Food Crisis,” by Jeff Goodell: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/ukraine-food-crisis-1367826/ TX sugar mill closure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMXbebDCnQw

Did you know there are probably millions of cases of foodborne illness every year in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Don Schaffner, PhD, food microbiologist, Distinguished professor, and Extension Specialist at Rutgers University. Schaffner discusses Covid -19 and food's unlikely route of Covid exposure, handwashing specifics (time and water temp.), and specific foods he avoids and why.  (part 2 of 2)Related Websites: https://www.riskyornot.co/ - Eating expired baby carrots: https://www.riskyornot.co/episodes/625-eating-expired-baby-carrots http://foodsafetytalk.com/

Did you know that pregnant women should avoid deli lunch meats due to the risk of listeria-related foodborne illness? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Don Schaffner, PhD, food microbiologist, Distinguished Professor, and Extension Specialist at Rutgers University. Schaffner discusses his research on handwashing, characteristics of listeria and the recent Boar's Head lunch meat recall, and food safety related to power outages. (Part 1 of 2)Related Websites: https://www.riskyornot.co/ Historical perspectives on handwashing: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144018/ Boar's Head meat recall CDC updates: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0828-listeria-outbreak-deli-meats.html

Did you know that there are efforts to weaken the organic label? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Max Goldberg, MBA, Founder and Editor of Organic Insider newsletter covering the organic industry, and administrator of the Organic Food Industry group on LinkedIn.  Goldberg discusses gene editing, regenerative agriculture, and food labels consumers can trust.Related Websites: www.organicinsider.com 

Did you know that organic farming is both regenerative and climate smart? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Thelma Velez, PhD, Research and Education Program Director at the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Velez explains USDA's organic label, and how organic farming practices benefit planet and people. She shares challenges faced by organic farmers, confusion over the “regenerative” label, and describes OFRF's new tool kit explaining how organic farming is truly “regenerative.”Related Websites: Organic Farming Research Foundation: www.ofrf.org Organic is Regenerative Toolkit: https://ofrf.org/organic-is-regenerative/ National Organic Research Agenda (2022): https://eorganic.org/node/35366

Did you know that food is the most important “school supply?” Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Stephen Ritz, award-winning science teacher and founder of the Green Bronx Machine. Ritz teaches in the poorest school district in the nation but has turned children's lives around with food and love. He explains how food injustice is racial injustice, and that the cheap and convenient foods readily available in his students' neighborhood are in reality, costly and deadly. He views children like seeds – full of potential. Ritz describes how his successful model of science education (growing food in the classroom) began and continues to thrive. Ritz, his students and the power of the Green Bronx Machine are featured in the documentary film, Generation Growth: https://generationgrowthfilm.com/Related Websites: Americans Who Tell The Truth: https://americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/stephen-ritz/ https://greenbronxmachine.org/ Generation Growth: https://greenbronxmachine.org/generation-growth/

Did you know that Midwestern industrial agriculture influences our national food system?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Audrey Tran Lam, MPH, Environmental Health Program Director at the Center for Energy & Environmental Education, at the University of Northern IA. Tran Lam explains how increasing crop rotations and biodiversity could significantly reduce our dependence on expensive and harmful nitrogen fertilizers and herbicides.  And, she describes the effects of climate change on agriculture, the connection between Midwestern agriculture and national food consumption, our environment and public health.Related Websites: https://ceee.uni.edu/environmental-health-program Farming for Public Health: https://farmingforpublichealth.org/ Industrial Farming and Public Health conference: https://sites.google.com/view/aaephconference/home

Did you know that indigenous food systems are based on cooperation? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with A-dae Romera- Briones (Cochiti/Kiowa), native Agricultural Food Systems Leader and Director of Programs for the First Nations Development Institute. She discusses the nature and history of indigenous foodways, food sovereignty, and the importance of how we tell the story of agriculture. She is a featured keynote speaker at the RAFI-USA conference (Sept. 30-October 1st 2024; see:  https://www.rafiusa.org/programs/cttt/2024-cttt-events/ )Related Websites: https://www.firstnations.org/ Fighting for the Tastebuds of Our Children: https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org/index.php/fsj/article/view/760

Did you know that a good share of dairy farms and food processors employ migrant laborers? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Jim Goodman, M.S., retired third-generation dairy farmer, president of the National Family Farm Coalition, and farm activist. Goodman advocates for a farmer-controlled, consumer-oriented food system. He is a frequent contributor of thought-provoking articles on farming, food, politics, trade and labor for Common Dreams. Goodman discusses the corporate-friendly policies that fueled the economic decline in rural America, and pulls back the curtain on Project 2025.Related Websites: https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/10/30/how-decades-corporate-friendly-farm-policies-wrecked-rural-america-and-paved-way Everyone Owes a Debt to Laborers: https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/we-owe-debt-to-labor Project 2025: https://www.counterpunch.org/2024/06/06/the-gops-stalinesque-plan-2025-to-shape-the-future-of-u-s-food-and-agriculture/print/

Did you know that farm soil is increasingly becoming a reservoir for plastic? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Grey Moran, award-winning journalist and staff writer at Civil Eats, where their writing focuses on climate change, the food system, public health, and environmental justice. Moran discusses “plasticulture” and the increasing use of plastic in agriculture, and how the Fair Food Alliance is working around FL law which denies farmworkers heat protection.Related Websites: Coalition of Immokalee workers and the Fair Food Program: https://ciw-online.org/ Civil Eats: https://civileats.com/author/gmoran/ How Fossil Fuel-derived pesticides and plastics harm health, biodiversity and the climate: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239621/

Did you know that trial attorneys work to protect farmers against harms they experience from the use of agricultural chemicals? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Daniel Hinkle, J.D., lawyer, lobbyist and Senior State Affairs Counsel at the American Association for Justice. Hinkle describes the role of trial attorneys in helping farmers receive compensation from harm related to pesticide use, and the agrochemical industry's attempts to reduce their liability by influencing pesticide labeling.Related Websites: American Association for Justice: https://www.justice.org/ Failure to Warn legislation: https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2024/02/state-legislation-popping-up-to-limit-liability-of-pesticide-manufacturers/ Icahn School of Medicine Glyphosate fact sheet: https://icahn.mssm.edu/files/ISMMS/Assets/Departments/Environmental%20Medicine%20and%20Public%20Health/CEHC/FactSheet-Glyphosate.pdfIARC review of glyphosate: https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/

Did you know that the sugar alcohol xylitol has been linked to increased risk of blood clots? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her interview with Tod Cooperman, M.D., President and Founder of ConsumerLab.com,  the leading national independent reviewer of food products and dietary supplements. Cooperman reviews his recent reports on the potential harms from sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners, and potential benefits of olive and fish oils, plus what to look for when purchasing products..Related Websites: www.consumerlab.com

Did you know that food and beverage companies spend nearly $2 billion dollars each year marketing food to kids and the vast majority of these foods are unhealthy? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her conversation with Katie Marx, policy associate with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Marx discusses food industry tactics for marketing ultra-processed foods and beverages to children, including the use of influencers in mobile apps and games.Related Websites: https://www.cspinet.org/advocacy/nutrition/food-marketing-kids Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/junk-food-ads-are-everywhere-online-and-kids-are-watching/2023/10/17/943efe83-941f-45e9-bf8d-a53296b6de89_video.html

Did you know that climate change is fueling the spread of bird flu?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Katelyn Jetelina, MPH, PhD., epidemiologist, data scientist and science communicator who serves as a scientific consultant to the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jetelina publishes the popular “Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE)” newsletter, and will discuss bird flu, raw milk risks and myths, the challenges of science communication, promoting public health and preventing pandemics.Related website:   https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/ 

Did you know that plastic is made from fossil fuel, and has deleterious effects on planet and people?  Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lisa Kaas Boyle, JD, environmental attorney, cofounder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and executive producer of the documentary film, Overload: America's Toxic Love Story. Boyle describes the injustice of fossil fuel and plastic pollution, the myth of plastic recycling, and the importance of citizen action and public policies.Related website:  www.lisakaasboyle.comMore Drinking Fountains, Fewer Plastic Bottles: https://law.tulane.edu/news/law-alumna-more-drinking-fountains-fewer-plastic-bottles

Did you know that the mundane advice dietitians give to “eat a variety of foods in moderation” is actually critical to both reaching nutritional adequacy and protecting us from contaminants in foods? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kellie Casavale, RD, PhD., Senior Science Nutrition Advisor at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Casavale discusses ways to protect vulnerable populations, especially children, from heavy metal contaminants (lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic) in our food, with an emphasis on fish and seafood.Related website:  “Advice About Eating Fish and Shellfish:”https://www.epa.gov/choose-fish-and-shellfish-wisely/epa-fda-advice-about-eating-fish-and-shellfish https://www.fda.gov/media/102331/download?attachment “Closer to Zero: Reducing Childhood Exposure to Contaminants from Foods:” https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/closer-zero-reducing-childhood-exposure-contaminants-foods

Did you know that our nation's agricultural policies (the Farm Bill) largely subsidize crops that don't support “food as medicine?” Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Christina Badaracco, MPH, Registered Dietitian, and co-author with Dan Imhoff of The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide. Badaracco discusses her entry into healthcare transformation through nutrition, “culinary medicine,” the value of teaching kitchens, and the importance of national farm policies to support public health.Related website:  Food as Medicine: https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/five-food-problems-why-current-food-medicine-solutions-falling-short The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide: https://islandpress.org/books/farm-bill#desc