Food Sleuth Radio

Did you know that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has resulted in the inability of Mexican corn farmers to earn a living? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Dana Geffner, co-founder and former executive director of Fair World Project, the leading fair trade advocacy organization in the U.S. Geffner explains how “free trade” agreements benefit corporate profits at the expense of people and environment, using NAFTA as a prime example. She defines “fair trade,” and provides advice when navigating fair trade product labels in the consumer marketplace. Related website: www.fairworldproject.org https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/

Did you know that chefs are uniquely positioned to drive food system change for good? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Katherine Miller, advocate and author of At The Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy (Island Press, 2023). Miller was the founding executive director of the Chef Action Network, a chef advocacy group, and the vice president of impact at the James Beard Foundation where she developed the Chef’s Boot camp for Policy and Change, where chefs learn how to effectively use their skills for advocacy. She discusses the National Restaurant Association’s political force, the key role immigrant labor plays in our food system, and the powerful potential chefs have to advocate for food system reform. Related website: https://table81.com/

Did you know that we have more than enough food to feed everyone on the planet and then some? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Michael Fakhri, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Fakhri is a professor at the University of Oregon, School of Law where he teaches courses on human rights, food law, development, and commercial law. He is also the director of the Food Resiliency Project in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center. Fakhri discusses the political roots of hunger and famine, the multiple benefits of agroecology, the ethics of patenting of seeds, violence in the food system, and the relationship between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the pesticide industry. Related website: https://law.uoregon.edu/directory/faculty-staff/all/mfakhri Violence in the food system: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/flyer-violenceFoodSystems-PRINT.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1U128rbc6v2p27a-B6BAgGrEbtLev7IgRiQEaVhJmyjP0gqmwnEDgMnvgSeeds report: https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/03/seeds-central-peoples-food-systems-cultures-and-human-rights

Did you know that the Feb. 3rd, 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine OH resulted in chemically-contaminated air and water that continues to harm public health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Andrew Whelton, Ph.D., Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. Whelton discusses his work researching environmental disasters. He discusses his recent investigations in East Palestine, OH, and surrounding communities which were contaminated by the purposeful burning of vinyl chloride, a known carcinogen. He also discusses his work in Maui, where he investigated environmental conditions following the tragic fire in Lahaina. Related website: www.PlumbingSafety.org Cancer Free Economy Network: https://www.cancerfreeeconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Train-Derailment-Health-Resource.pdf CERCLA: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-cercla-overview

Did you know that on February 3rd, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailment disaster released toxic chemicals into the air and water in East Palestine, Ohio and surrounding areas? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Nick Keppler, journalist reporting for the Washington Post and Environmental Health News. Keppler describes his on-the-ground coverage of the disaster, and how the community is attempting to cope with the release of toxic chemicals into their air and water, and the ongoing threats to public health. Related website: Health Resource Guide: https://www.cancerfreeeconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Train-Derailment-Health-Resource.pdf Senate Hearings: https://veterans.pasenategop.com/veterans-032023/ Public Hearing on Norfolk Southern train derailment: https://veterans.pasenategop.com/vets-022323/ Environmental Health: https://www.ehn.org/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-pollution-2662867187.html

Did you know that we can build community through good food? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Brad Reubendale, CEO of So All May Eat, and the SAME Café. Reubendale discusses the mission of SAME Cafés: to create community through healthy food access. He describes the unique and sustainable “participatory model” of the Cafés, trauma-informed environments, and the unique expansion of SAME Cafes into libraries. Related website: www.soallmayeat.org ; courses.soallmayeat.org

Did you know that climate change is water change? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Erica Gies, author of Water Always Wins: Thriving in an Age of Drought and Deluge. Gies, an independent journalist and National Geographic Explorer, writes extensively about water, climate change and biology. She discusses how development, climate change, and our illusion of control impact our relationship with water. She defines “slow water;” explains how and why the water we see today is not in its natural state; and supports changing how we relate to water. Related website: https://slowwater.world/

Did you know that children’s health is dependent upon their environmental conditions? Join Melinda Hemmelgarn, Registered Dietitian and Food Sleuth Radio host for her interview with Nse Witherspoon, MPH, Executive Director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network and co-leader of the science and health arm of the Cancer Free Economy Network. Witherspoon describes the Eco-Friendly childcare initiative that protects children in daycare settings, and explains why and how protecting children from pesticides and other toxins is critical to their lifelong health and well-being. Note: October is Child Health Month; and, October 12th is Children’s Environmental Health Day. Related website: Children’s Environmental Health Network: https://cehn.org/ Cancer Free Economy Network: https://www.cancerfreeeconomy.org/

Did you know that agriculture is not sustainable without fair wages? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Elizabeth Henderson, award-winning farmer, writer, activist, and agrarian leader best known for her decades of support of and contributions to organic and sustainable agriculture. She is a founding member of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) and has been a pioneer of the CSA model in the United States. She is committed to resisting the many injustices of a cheap food system through the power of cooperation. She’s the author of Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen’s Guide to Community Supported Agriculture; and a core leader of the Agricultural Justice Project. Related website: Agricultural Justice Project and certification: https://www.agriculturaljusticeproject.org/en/ Elizabeth Henderson papers at U. of MA – Amherst: http://findingaids.library.umass.edu/ead/mums746 Real Organic Project interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA26cX2i9lg

Did you know that children as young as nine years of age work in agriculture in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Amy Tamayo, J.D., National Policy and Advocacy Director at Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Inc. Tamayo describes her work in which she advocates for farmworker women to advance immigration, environmental justice, and workers' rights policies. She discusses specific farmworkers’ working conditions, including heat stress and pesticide exposure. Related website: Farmworker Justice: https://www.farmworkerjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Reproductive-Health-Effects-of-Pesticide-Exposure.pdf Elizabeth Jaime testimonial: https://www.alianzanacionaldecampesinas.org/elizabeth-jaime-profile U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: https://www.eeoc.gov/selected-list-pending-and-resolved-cases-involving-farmworkers-1999-present

Did you know that climate change threatens public health and safety, especially for underserved and vulnerable populations? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Georges Benjamin, MD, Executive Director of the American Public Health Association. Benjamin discusses regional differences of climate impact, and describes the ways extreme weather events can affect our health. Related website: https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/climate-change https://www.apha.org/-/media/Files/PDF/topics/climate/Energy_Justice_Key_Concepts.ashx https://www.apha.org/Publications/Fact-Sheets

Did you know that a long-standing relationship exists between food as a political tool and the maintenance of power, and that food provides a unique opportunity to engage in peace-building? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Christina Campbell, Ph.D., R.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at IA State U. Campbell studies the intersection of food and peace and is the co-organizer of the 2023 Peace and Justice Studies Association’s annual conference. She describes how she considers food in the context of peace to foster right and just relationships with self, others, and the Earth for sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems. Related website: https://www.peacejusticestudies.org/ Food-Peace Framework in the J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023;123(7):997-1010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2023.02.005 Earth Charter: https://earthcharter.org/ The Waters Center for Systems Thinking: https://waterscenterst.org/

Did you know that food is at the core of health and wellness as well as national and international security? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Laurie Beyranevand, JD, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at the Vermont Law and Graduate School, South Royalton, VT. Beyranevand discusses food law and policy, plus several of the Center’s reports, including “The State of Prison Food in New England: A Survey of Federal and State Policy” and “Exposed and At Risk: Opportunities to Strengthen Enforcement of Pesticide Regulations for Farmworker Safety .”Related website: “Hunger as a Weapon” – Global & National Security Institute:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skeMCnQwMPY Reports: https://www.vermontlaw.edu/academics/centers-and-programs/center-for-agriculture-and-food-systems/reports Labels Unwrapped: https://labelsunwrapped.org/

Did you know that consuming ultra-processed foods harms both our physical and mental health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Eric Hecht, MD, MPH, PhD, Founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Etiological Research, and author of the paper, “Cross-sectional examination of ultra-processed food consumption and adverse mental health symptoms,” published in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition. Hecht explains epidemiology, defines “ultra-processed foods,” and discusses the challenges of behavior change, as well as the multiple negative health effects of consuming ultra-processed foods.Related website: Institute of Etiological Research: https://www.etioinstitute.org; NOVA Classification of Ultra-Processed Foods: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/un-decade-of-nutrition-the-nova-food-classification-and-the-trouble-with-ultraprocessing/2A9776922A28F8F757BDA32C3266AC2A

Did you know that incarcerated individuals who participate in Chef Jimmy Hill’s culinary training program have a 6% recidivism rate? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Chef Jimmy Hill, award-winning Executive Chef and instructor of the Food Tech training program at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, MI. Hill, who is featured in the James Beard Award – winning film, Coldwater Kitchen, describes his culinary program, garden, and compassionate leadership.Related website: https://www.chefjimmyleehill.com

Did you know that a film about a remarkable prison-based culinary training program won the James Beard Foundation’s Media award in 2023? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Brian Kaufman, Executive Video Producer at the Detroit Free Press and co-director of Coldwater Kitchen, the James Beard award-winning documentary featuring Chef Jimmy Hill, who runs a highly regarded culinary training program at the Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, MI. Kaufman describes his experience making a documentary film in the confines of a state prison.Related website: https://coldwaterkitchen.film/

Did you know that the number of farmers markets has grown from 1,755 in 1994 to almost 9,000 markets in 2019? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Ben Feldman, Policy Director for the Farmers Market Coalition, a national non-profit with a mission to strengthen farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities. Feldman discusses the benefits of farmers’ markets, how the Farm Bill can support farmers’ markets, and why SNAP benefits present a challenge to markets. Note: August 6th-12th is National Farmers’ Market Week.Related website: https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/

Did you know that only seven to nine percent of global cancer funding goes towards prevention? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kristina Marusic, MFA, journalist with Environmental Health News (www.ehn.org), and author of A New War on Cancer: The Unlikely Heroes Revolutionizing Prevention (Island Press). Marusic connects human health with our environment, discusses our woefully under-funded efforts in cancer prevention, harmful anti-regulation rhetoric, cultural narratives and the phenomenon of “blind loyalty” to corporations that make us sick. Marusic finds hope in collective, systemic-level solutions and provides resources for action.Related website: www.kristinamarusic.com/https://islandpress.org/books/new-war-cancer

Did you know that 70 percent of the land in the state of IA is planted in a corn/soy rotation, and that almost none of the decisions driving this current production system were made with the nutritional or caloric needs of human beings in mind? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Chris Jones, Ph.D., retired research engineer at the U. of IA and author of The Swine Republic: Struggles with the Truth about Agriculture and Water Quality. Jones discusses the water quality sensor network he managed at the U of IA, and the devastating environmental impacts of IA agriculture, which is dominated by corn and soy, corn-based ethanol and 25 million hogs. He explains the benefits of biodiversity, farming to scale, and stopping federal support of corn-based ethanol. Jones says local politics are key to changing policies affecting our environment and health. His book features a collection of blog posts about agriculture, water quality and the forces behind our food, fuel and farming policies.Related website: Ice Cube Press, https://icecubepress.com/2023/04/10/the-swine-republic-2/ Presentation in Fairfield, IA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShuYfzxntk&t=464s Article: Ethanol: “Environmental Outcomes of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard:” https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2101084119Water Quality Monitoring Network: http://www2.iihr.uiowa.edu/research/the-iowa-nutrient-research-center/?doing_wp_cron=1688300810.4253079891204833984375

Did you know that the U.S. Geological Survey plans to reduce their tracking and reporting of nationwide pesticide-use? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Alan Kolok, Ph.D., Professor of Ecotoxicology at the U. of Idaho; Director Emeritus, of the Idaho Water Resources Research Institute and author of Modern Poisons: A Brief Introduction to Contemporary Toxicology. Kolok is one of more than 200 scientists opposed to proposed changes in how the USGS will track and report pesticide use. Kolok used USGS maps to find a relationship between pesticide use and pediatric cancers. See: “Investigation of Relationships Between the Geospatial Distribution of Cancer Incidence and Estimated Pesticide Use in the U.S. West” https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021GH000544 Related website: https://islandpress.org/books/modern-poisons

Did you know that pesticide manufacturers deliberately discredit reputable scientists and employ a host of other corrupt practices to protect sales of their products? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Stacy Malkan, co-founder and managing editor at US Right to Know, a non-profit investigative research group working globally to expose corporate wrongdoing and government failures that threaten our health, environment, and food system. Malkan investigates and reports on pesticide and food industry PR and lobbying operations, and is the lead author of a new report, “MERCHANTS OF POISON: How Monsanto Sold the World on a Toxic Pesticide - A case study in disinformation, corrupted science, and manufactured doubt about glyphosate.”Malkan reveals the tactics used by pesticide manufacturers (and the food industry) to protect their profits, including efforts to discredit reputable scientists. The report includes a case study of Monsanto’s efforts to suppress the findings of an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) panel on cancer concerns associated with the herbicide glyphosate. US Right to Know also shares the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) new report investigating how industry influences health research: https://usrtk.org/industry-pr/how-sponsor-bias-impacts-health-research/Related website: www.usrtk.org

Did you know that it’s easier than you might think to meet protein needs on vegetarian diets? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Brenda Davis, RD, plant-based diet expert and author of Plant Powered Protein: Nutrition Essentials and Dietary Guidelines for All Ages. Davis discusses the multiple health benefits of plant-based diets and describes how to easily meet protein and other nutrient needs. She also discusses the new (and unique) Canadian Food Guide: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/Related website: www.plant-poweredprotein.com

Did you know that intermittent fasting can improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and other metabolic disorders related to obesity? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Krista Varady, Ph.D., award-winning researcher and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Varady discusses the most effective methods of intermittent fasting.Related website: https://www.instagram.com/drkristavarady/

Did you know that POTS - postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome – is increasingly seen as a component of Long Covid? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Cheryl Harris, MS, RD, who discusses her article on diet and exercise therapy to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.Related website: https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(22)00342-2/fulltext

Did you know that children’s literature can teach important lessons about our shared environment and the food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Katherine Pryor, award-winning children’s book author and “good” food advocate discusses her latest title: Spring is for Strawberries, which helps children understand the value of seasonal eating.Related website: https://katherinepryor.com/

Did you know that the misuse of antibiotics can disrupt our gut microbiome, and contribute to a range of diseases? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steven Lawrence, award-winning film maker and co-producer of the documentary, The Invisible Extinction. Lawrence discusses his personal experience with the side effects of antibiotics, and the making of a film that takes audiences on a global journey to understand the far-reaching impacts of our gut microbiome on health and disease, as well as the creation of a microbial preservation vault.Related website: https://www.theinvisibleextinction.com/

Did you know that essentially all humans have PFAS compounds in their systems? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Steven Lasee, Ph.D., environmental toxicologist, and analytical chemist, who describes how and where PFAS enter our environment, and us. Lasee’s research discovered that some pesticides contain PFAS as part of their hidden “inert” ingredients.Related website: www.laseeconsulting.com

Did you know that climate change affects both mental and physical health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Susan Clayton, Ph.D., social psychologist, Whitmore-Williams Professor of Psychology at The College of Wooster (Ohio), and lead author of the chapter on “Health, Wellbeing, and the Changing Structure of Communities,” in the U.N.’s Sixth Assessment Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) . Clayton discusses “eco-anxiety,” psychological impacts, resilience, communication and hope in the face of climate change.Related website: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-ii/ https://ecoamerica.org/

Did you know that disruptions in the infant microbiome can lead to lifelong illness? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Maria Gloria Dominguez Bello, PH.D., Henry Rutgers Professor of Microbiome and Health, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, and of Anthropology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Dominguez Bello discusses her microbiome research that focuses on birth, and breastfeeding, and the impact of practices that reduce microbial transmission or disrupt the microbiota, as well as strategies for restoration. Her research was featured in the documentary film, The invisible Extinction. She also spearheaded the creation of an international microbiota vault to safeguard microbes that may help cure chronic illnesses in the future.Related website: https://www.microbiotavault.org/ https://www.theinvisibleextinction.com/

Did you know that the overuse of antibiotics can disrupt our microbiome, and contribute to diseases such as asthma, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Martin Blaser, M.D., Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers University, author of Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues, and featured in the documentary film, Invisible Extinction. Blaser discusses the relationship between the human microbiome, health and disease, and the cumulative effects of exposure to antibiotics.Related website: https://www.theinvisibleextinction.com/

Did you know that most synthetic pesticides are petroleum-based? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Margaret Reeves, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Pesticide Action Center of North America. Reeves discusses the Pesticide Action Network’s new report: “Pesticides and Climate Change: A vicious cycle.” She describes how pesticides contribute to climate change and explains the smoke and mirrors behind some “climate smart” terms and practices. Related website: Report “Pesticides and Climate Change: A vicious cycle:” https://www.panna.org/resources/pesticides-and-climate-change-vicious-cycle-report and webinars: https://www.panna.org/resources/webinar-recording-pesticides-and-climate-change

Did you know that the herbicides, dicamba and 2,4-D, increasing sprayed on genetically engineered commodity crops (soy, cotton, corn) can drift from agricultural applications, as well as lawn chemical use, and harm our trees, native plants, home gardens, and greater ecosystem? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Robbie Doerhoff, Forest Entomologist with MO Dept. of Conservation, for a discussion about how two specific herbicides are wreaking havoc on our environment, and therefore our health. The See the Xerces Society’s report, “Drifting Towards Disaster,” for more information: https://www.xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/20-021.pdfRelated website: Dicamba/2,4-D & Trees: Old Herbicides Causing New Problems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdxeoX2QobY

Did you know that climate change effects our natural environment and food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with David Abazs, organic farmer, and Executive Director of the Northeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership at the U. of MN. Abazs defines “agrophenology” and explains how climate change impacts our landscape and food system. He provides examples of the importance of learning to carefully observe naturally occurring events in our ecosystem. He also describes the Forest Assisted Migration Project: https://extension.umn.edu/rsdp-happenings/climate-smart-trees-take-root-northeast-minnesota.Related website: Round River Farm:https://www.round-river.com/

Did you know that knowing our watershed, and understanding water and nitrogen cycles is key to sustainable food and farming methods? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jeanne Heuser, award winning citizen activist, and former Technical Information Specialist with the US. Geological Survey. From hospice, Heuser reflects on her life’s work to protect watersheds, our food system, and encourage local engagement. Her regional work in the state of MO, with the Moniteau County Neighbors Alliance can serve as a national model. See: : www.MCNAmissouri.orgRelated website: https://www.usgs.gov/

Did you know that sales of non-GMO verified products continue to grow in consumer popularity and sales? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the non-profit Non-GMO Project. Westgate explains what the non-GMO Project’s butterfly label tells consumers, why the verification matters, and how the FDA’s label for “bioengineered” food is confusing and misleading to consumers who want to avoid GMO food ingredients. Westgate emphasizes consumer power in the marketplace to shape our food system and create a more resilient future.Related website: www.nonGMOproject.org

Did you know that gender influences agricultural research and practice? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Hale Ann Tufan, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University. Tufan’s work focuses on gender equity and social inclusion. She discusses the roles and cultural positioning of men and women in agriculture, science, and health, and women’s disproportionate vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change. See related United Nations report: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/explainer/2022/02/explainer-how-gender-inequality-and-climate-change-are-interconnectedRelated website: https://cals.cornell.edu/hale-ann-tufan#about

Did you know that the way in which issues are framed in the media influences how they are understood and acted upon? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jillian Fry, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Towson University (MD), where she researches the intersection of public health, the food system, and environmental sustainability. Fry discusses her research paper, “A Tale of Two Urgent Food System Challenges: Comparative Analysis of Approaches to Reduce High-Meat Diets and Wasted Food as Covered in U.S. Newspapers.” She describes the differences in media framing of these two issues, which are critical in mitigating climate change.Related website: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2022/10/02/journalists-are-making-the-same-mistake-with-food-that-they-made-with-climate-change-scientists-say/?sh=712a121c4299

Did you know that Japanese Americans were denied land ownership because of their nationality? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with David Mas Masumoto, organic farmer, activist, and award-winning writer based in the Central Valley of California. He is best known for his book, Epitaph for a Peach, which won the Julia Child Cookbook award and was a finalist for a James Beard award. In this interview, Masumoto will discuss his latest book, a memoir titled: Secret Harvests: A Hidden Story of Separation and the Resilience of a Family Farm, published by Red Hen Press. Masumoto describes the story of his long lost aunt, the immigrant and farmworker struggles, and the history of Japanese-American internment during World War II.Related website: https://www.masumoto.com/

Did you know that bottle bills have the potential to reduce the waste stream significantly, yet only nine states have beverage container deposit programs in place? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Nancy Alderman, MES, founder and president of Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), a non-profit organization composed of physicians and public health professionals who are dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms. Alderman discusses the importance of bottle bills in significantly reducing the waste stream. The Container Recycling Institute provides statistics, myths and facts about bottle bills: https://www.container-recycling.org/Related website: www.ehhi.org

Did you know that global food production puts enormous environmental pressure on our planet? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Ben Halpern, Ph.D, marine ecologist and conservation scientist at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. Halpern discusses his recent paper titled: “The Environmental Footprint of Global Food Production,” and describes four pressures of food production: greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, habitat disturbance, nutrient pollution; he also discusses the costs and benefits of “efficient” food production. Related resource: IPCC: https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/chapter-5/ Related website: The Environmental Footprint of Global Food Production:https://www.rootsofchange.org/wp-content/uploads/Environmental-impact-of-Global-Food-Production.pdf

Did you know that mushrooms are more closely related to animals than plants? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., internationally renowned botanist, mycologist, research scientist and author of Christopher Hobbs’s Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide: Boost Immunity, Improve Memory, Fight Cancer, Stop Infection, and Expand Your Consciousness. Hobbs discusses the unique traits and multiple benefits of fungi, from human to planetary health.Related website: www.christopherhobbs.com

Did you know that Black farmers faced grave injustices, racist policies and land loss while attempting to feed their families and communities? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Gail Myers, Ph.D., cultural anthropologist and creator and director of the multimedia documentary film project, Rhythms of the Land: A Love Story of Land and Family. Myers discusses her decades of interviewing African American farmers, the “eldest elders,” and shares their philosophies, injustices, and challenges in obtaining and holding onto farmland. Myers captures agrarian legacies and calls her project a “Valentine to generations of Black farmers.” Related website: www.rhythmsoftheland.com

Did you know that many chocolate products contain unsafe levels of cadmium and lead? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Tod Cooperman, MD, President, Founder, and Editor-in-Chief at ConsumerLab.com, the leading independent evaluator of dietary supplements and nutritional products. Cooperman discusses Consumer Lab’s chocolate testing results and the dangers of lead and cadmium in relation to beneficial flavanols in chocolate. Cooperman also discusses whether any dietary supplements offer protection against Covid-19, the benefits of masks, and a new report on powdered fruit and vegetable supplements.Related website: www.consumerlab.com

Did you know that organic agriculture is a key to mitigating climate change, building strong rural economies and supporting public health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Lena Brook, M.S., Director, Food Campaigns, Healthy People & Thriving Communities Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Brook defines “organic” agriculture, discusses the new report: “Grow Organic: The Climate, Health and Economic Case for Expanding Organic Agriculture,” and the public policies necessary to support it.Related website: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/lena-brook/new-report-unlocking-potential-organic-agriculture

Did you know that alcohol consumption increases our risk for cancer? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Nigel Brockton, Ph.D., Director of Research at The American Institute for Cancer Research. Brockton dives into the research explaining how and why specific nutrients impact cancer risk, with an emphasis on the role of inflammation, and alcohol. Tune in for supporting information for “dry January” and to find out if you are practicing cancer prevention.Related website: https://www.aicr.org/cancer-health-check/

Did you know that many food additives allowed in the U.S. have been banned in the EU? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Thomas Galligan, Ph.D., Principal Scientist for Food Additives and Supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Galligan explains that more than 1800 brand name food products contain titanium dioxide, yet in 2021, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that the cosmetic additive is no longer safe in foods. Galligan describes CSPI’s “Chemical Cuisine Guide,” which ranks food additives from “safe” to “avoid.”Related website: https://www.cspinet.org/page/chemical-cuisine-ratings

Did you know that food is a key intersectional point for health, labor, human rights, agriculture, environment, and climate change? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Alison Cohen, Advocate and Coordinator of the National Right to Food Community of Practice. Cohen exposes false narratives around poverty and hunger, and advocates for a legal framework to protect the right to food.Related website: file:///C:/Users/Dan/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/1QPWI2U5/OP-ED%20White%20House%20Conference%20on%20Hunger%202022%20(1).pdf

Did you know that fiber-rich, plant-based diets are key to wellness? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jill Nussinow, M.S., R.D., a.k.a. “The Veggie Queen,” culinary educator and author of multiple cookbooks. Nussinow describes the health benefits of organic, seasonal, high-fiber, whole food plant-based eating, the ease of speedy pressure cooking, and how adopting a breathing practice can enhance digestion and improve health and energy in the New Year. Hint: put mushrooms, beans and fermented foods on your food resolution list, and try the simple breathing exercise Nussinow describes.Related website: https://www.theveggiequeen.com/

Did you know that microplastics have infested every corner of Earth, from the highest mountains to the deepest seas? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Matt Simon, journalist, staff writer at Wired, and author of A Poison Like No Other: How Microplastics Corrupted Our Planet and Our Bodies (https://islandpress.org/author/matt-simon ). Simon describes the “unbearable burden” of this insidious pollutant on our personal and planetary health, and ways we can work to curtail its production.Related website: http://www.mattsimon.net/

Did you know that the most popular New Year’s resolutions include losing weight and exercising more? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Theresa Stahl, Registered Dietitian certified in mind body medicine, and author of I’m Full: Remindful Eating Tips to Feel Great and Make Peace with Your Plate. Stahl describes her personal struggles with eating, explains how to embrace mindfulness, and shares insights from her decades of working with patients to help us reach our New Year goals, and enjoy safe and nourishing holidays.Related website: https://www.remindfuleating.com/