Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that children are one of the strongest economic forces in a family? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Yulia Chuvileva, PhD, public health scientist and co-founder of CommerciallyDetermined.com which exposes how big business impacts public health and the environment. Chuvileva describes “pester power,” the illusion of “choice” in the marketplace, and difficulty parents face in protecting children from the powerful forces of marketing. (Part 1 of 2) Related Websites:   www.commerciallydetermined.com

Did you know that in the past, Alcoholics Anonymous advised alcoholics to use sugar to help alleviate their cravings for alcohol? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Nicole Avena, PhD.  Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and Visiting Professor of Health Psychology at Princeton University. Avena describes her research on food addiction, dopamine, and the abundance of sugar in our food system. She explains that not only sugar, but artificial sweeteners, and ultra-processed foods can be addicting. She helps us rethink the definition of “food.” She also discusses ways to curb excess sugar intake from her latest book, Sugarless, which covers the latest science on sugar addiction and how to overcome it. Related Websites:   Gustavus Adolphus College Keynote: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lMZv1wuA4c

Did you know that climate change is having a devastating effect on farmers’ ability to produce food, and consumers’ ability to have access to it? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Steve Ela, MS, 4th generation certified organic farmer, and owner and manager of Ela Family Farms, in Hotchkiss, CO. Ela served on the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), and joined the National Organic Coalition as the NOSB Specialist to promote organic integrity.  He discusses the societal benefits of organic farming, including helping mitigate climate change, protecting our ecosystem and the health of farmers, farmworkers, and their children. He also explains how shifts in research, health and agriculture policy could help support organic farmers and our planet..  Related Websites:   https://elafamilyfarms.com/about-us/bios/

Did you know that carcinogens are allowed for use in food, despite legal prohibitions? For example, the same chemical used to strip paint is used to decaffeinate coffee. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Maria Doa, PhD, Senior Director of Chemicals Policy at the Environmental Defense Fund, and author of “Disease by a Thousand Cuts: How a daily barrage of chemicals in our food makes us more likely to get sick over time.” Doa dives into the failure of the Toxic Substances Control Act and Delaney Clause in protecting U.S. citizens from hazardous chemicals, and the corporate capture at the FDA and EPA. (part 2 of 2) Related Websites:   Analysis: 25 carcinogens allowed for use in U.S. food, despite legal prohibition: https://library.edf.org/AssetLink/02128n6uroe23n3t0006q1gal6c5676w.pdf

Did you know that our Environmental Protection Agency is changing science due to corporate capture? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Maria Doa, PhD, Senior Director of Chemicals Policy at the Environmental Defense Fund, and author of “Disease by a Thousand Cuts: How a daily barrage of chemicals in our food makes us more likely to get sick over time.” Doa spent 30 years at the U.S. EPA and describes changes in the agency during the current Trump administration, including the dismantling of scientific programs. She also discusses the roles of the EPA and FDA re how chemicals are assessed for safety. (part 1 of 2) Related Websites:   EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act: https://www.epa.gov/epcra

Did you know that there are many more species of fish living in our oceans than are available to consumers in the marketplace? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director for the North American Marine Alliance.  Dorry discusses the benefits of “calculated inefficiencies” in our food system, the importance of scale, and the impacts of climate change on seafood sustainability. (Part 2 of 2))  Related Websites:   https://www.namanet.org/

Did you know that land farmers and fishermen and women face similar challenges resulting from corporate concentration in our food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Niaz Dorry, Coordinating Director for the North American Marine Alliance. She’ll discuss “bluewashing,” and how to find truly sustainable seafood in the marketplace through localcatch.org and their sustainable seafood guide.  Related Websites:   https://www.namanet.org/

Did you know that pesticides can drift for miles from where they were applied on agricultural fields, lawns and golf courses? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Kim Erndt-Pitcher, MS, Director of Ecological Health at Prairie Rivers Network. Erndt-Pitcher discusses the widespread ecological damage from pesticide drift/ chemical trespass and reviews the Prairie Rivers Network’s recent reports and webinar titled: Pesticide Drift in Public Spaces. PRN’s research shows there are wide ecosystem impacts from chronic pesticide drift exposure on bird and insect populations, air quality and public health, reduced nutritional quality of fruit and nuts, and the economic and emotional toll of lost trees, crops and plants. Related Websites:   https://prairierivers.org/

Did you know that Will Harris’ White Oak Pastures regenerative farm provides 170 jobs to people in his community? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Will Harris, fourth generation cattleman at White Oak Pastures, and worldwide leader in humane animal husbandry and environmental sustainability. Harris discusses “regenerative” vertical farming, a farm’s potential to be a rural economic engine (as opposed to data centers), trends in beef imports over time, corporate consolidation, and his meeting with President Trump. Related Websites:   www.whiteoakpastures.com

Did you know that Slow Food is a global movement dedicated to promoting good, clean, and fair food for everyone? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Fred Plotkin, MS, author and expert on Italian food culture. Plotkin discusses his relationship with Carlo Petrini,  father of the Slow Food movement, Italian culinary history, food culture, and his philosophy on eating and living as a “pleasure activist.”  Related Websites:   https://www.slowfood.com/