Did you know that U.S. farm policy values corporate profits over human health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Omanjana Goswami, Ph.D., Interdisciplinary scientist in the Food & Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Goswami discusses the connection between soil and human health; and water pollution from Tyson meat processing plants. She describes the impacts of nitrate pollution on human health and key chang...
Jun 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 780
Did you know that teaching children how to cook improves their motivation and ability to eat well? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Pam Koch, Ed.D, R.D., Mary Swartz Rose Associate Professor of Nutrition and Education, and Faculty Director at the Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. Koch describes her decades of research working to improve children’s nutrition, defines “ul...
Jun 13, 2024•28 min•Ep. 779
Did you know that our brains play an important role in regulating appetite and food intake? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Marc Cornier , MD Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at the Medical University of South Carolina. Cornier shares his research on the neurocircuitry related to appetite. He emphasizes that obesity is a chronic disease, and discusses the influence...
Jun 07, 2024•28 min•Ep. 778
Did you know that pesticides are widely used in U.S. agriculture and residues may remain on and in the foods we eat, even after washing or processing? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Alexis Temkin, Ph.D., Toxicologist, at the Environmental Working Group. Temkin discusses EWG’s 2024 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce, and the related and updated Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen Guide to produce shopping. She also discusses vulnerable ...
May 31, 2024•28 min•Ep. 777
Did you know that astronauts’ liquid wastes are recycled into drinking water in space? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Peter Annin, national water journalist, director of the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation at Northland College, Ashland, WI, and author of Purified: How Recycled Sewage is Transforming Our Water . Annin reports on multiple successful national examples where human waste is filtered, treated and tran...
May 23, 2024•28 min•Ep. 776
Did you know that heavily subsidized biogas digesters pose a risk to rural communities and are not the climate-change solution they’re made out to be? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Chloe Waterman, M.S., Senior Program Manager for Climate Friendly Foods at Friends of the Earth. Waterman discusses the hazards of Biogas and key points from the Friends of the Earth report on the topic, titled: “Biogas or Bull***? The Deceptive Promis...
May 17, 2024•28 min•Ep. 775
Did you know that cattle are not the “climate change killers” they’ve been made out to be? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Marianne Landzettel, journalist and author of Sustainable Meat Production and Processing: Local, Profitable and Humane . Landzettel describes differences in agriculture in the EU, UK and US, and presents evidence supporting the benefits of livestock, and in particular cattle, raised in a regenerative fashion, t...
May 10, 2024•28 min•Ep. 774
Did you know that there is solid science behind concerns regarding the safety of genetically modified crops? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Timothy Wise, MS, author of Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food, and Senior Advisor at the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy. Wise discusses GM corn, and the impact of the U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement (formerly NAFTA) on Mexican fo...
May 03, 2024•28 min•Ep. 773
Did you know that 80% of the avocadoes consumed in the U.S. are imported from Mexico? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Alexander Sammon, politics writer for Slate , journalist and author of “Forbidden Fruit: The anti-avocado militias of Michoacan.” Sammon describes the impact of U.S. trade policies on avocado imports, the environmental impacts of avocado production, and the violence related to avocado farming in Mexico. Note: Cinco ...
Apr 26, 2024•28 min•Ep. 772
Did you know that anti-trust legislation helps protect our democracy? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Austin Frerick, author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry . Frerick discusses the dangers of monopolies, consolidation, and exploitation in our food system – how we lost fair markets, and who is getting rich at taxpayer expense. Related website: https://www.austinfrerick.com/...
Apr 19, 2024•28 min•Ep. 771
Did you know that prenatal exposure to glyphosate has been associated with shorter gestational time in utero, decreased fetal growth and preterm birth? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Cynthia Curl, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Co-Director, Center for Excellence in Environmental Health & Safety, at Boise State University . Curl founded and directs the Agricultural Health Lab where her research focuses on the intersection betwe...
Apr 12, 2024•28 min•Ep. 770
Did you know that climate change is an imminent threat to human health, yet most schools do not provide education about climate change and its health impacts? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Michelle Loosli, Senior Manager for Climate Education at the American Public Health Association’s Center for Climate, Health and Equity. Loosli discusses a new educational tool kit on climate and health for students in grades 9-12. She explains...
Apr 05, 2024•28 min•Ep. 769
Did you know that fossil fuel subsidies contribute to the “cheap” cost of plastic? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Bev Thorpe, Co-Founder of Clean Production Action, a resource to advance a non-toxic economy. Thorpe describes the “ triple planetary crisis ,” and shares strategies to move away from harmful fossil-fuel based chemicals used widely in our food system. Related website: Clean Production Action’s “Green Screen:” https://w...
Mar 29, 2024•28 min•Ep. 768
Did you know that heavy metals are present in a wide variety of our foods? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Conrad Choiniere, Ph.D. Director, Office of Analytics and Outreach, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Choiniere discusses common heavy metals in our food supply, and specifically the recent investigation into lead-contaminated cinnamon applesauce. Choiniere chairs FDA's Toxic Elements ...
Mar 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 767
Did you know that regenerative agriculture includes indigenous practices of land stewardship? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, Co-founder and CEO of Tree-Range Farms based in Northfield, MN, and founder of the non-profit Regenerative Agriculture Alliance. Haslett-Marroquin discusses key features of “regenerative” agriculture. He also describes unique features of his poultry operation, including agrofores...
Mar 15, 2024•28 min•Ep. 766
Did you know that Salmonella is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Richard Raymond, M.D., former Undersecretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Raymond discusses Salmonella, it’s prevalence in the food supply, ways to reduce risk, and potentially high-risk foods that he personally avoids. (Part 2 of 2) Related website: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communic...
Mar 08, 2024•28 min•Ep. 765
Did you know that food recalls help prevent people from eating a food that could result in illness or injuries? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Richard Raymond, M.D., former Undersecretary for Food Safety at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Raymond discusses food recalls: reasons why food is recalled, the possible fates of recalled food, and specific cases related to the bacteria, E. coli 0157:H7. (Part 1 of 2) Related website: Food ...
Mar 01, 2024•28 min•Ep. 764
Did you know that artists can play a unique role in helping us think critically about the global influence of agrichemical companies on our food system? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Kirsten Stolle, a visual artist whose works intersect art, science and culture to examine the global influence of agrichemical companies on our food system. Stolle describes her artwork, and explains how she helps viewers see propaganda, corporate gr...
Feb 23, 2024•28 min•Ep. 763
Did you know that “foodscaping” involves the planning, design, management, and nurturing of ecological edible landscapes? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Matt Lebon, owner of Custom Foodscaping. Lebon, who provides education and leadership to foodscapers nationally, discusses the multiple benefits of creating beautiful, edible landscapes, how to deal with challenges and reap abundant rewards. Related website: https://www.customfood...
Feb 15, 2024•28 min•Ep. 762
Did you know that one year ago the community of East Palestine Ohio was poisoned by a Norfolk Southern train derailment and the resulting purposeful burning of vinyl chloride? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jess Conard, Appalachia Director at Beyond Plastics who discusses the ongoing public health consequences facing her community. Conard explains that any community in close proximity to rail lines is at risk for a similar fate, a...
Feb 08, 2024•28 min•Ep. 761
Did you know that the drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are revolutionizing the medical treatment of obesity and related disorders? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Mary Donkersloot, RDN, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and host of the Smart Eating Show. The two will discuss the pros and cons of this new class of obesity drugs and drug-free ways to tweak our diets to increase satiety and reach a healthier body weight. Related website: http...
Feb 02, 2024•28 min•Ep. 760
Did you know that there are multiple benefits resulting from the co-location of solar panels with agricultural production? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Byron Kominek, founder of Jack’s Solar Garden and Executive Director of the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center in Longmont, CO - the largest commercially active agrivoltaics system in the United States. Kominek describes how solar panels can benefit farmworkers and livestock an...
Jan 26, 2024•28 min•Ep. 759
Did you know that the majority of corn seeds planted in the United States are coated with a powerful pesticide that harms pollinators, birds and other wildlife? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Elizabeth Hilborn, DVM, registered nurse, farmer and author of Restoring Eden: Unearthing the Agribusiness Secret that Poisoned my Farming Community (Chicago Review Press, 2023). Hilborn recounts her tragic story about how neonicotinoid seed ...
Jan 19, 2024•28 min•Ep. 758
Did you know that exercise benefits both physical health and cognition? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Michelle Gray, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, Director of the Office for Studies on Aging, and Professor of Exercise Science at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Gray discusses age-related muscle loss and the functional and cognitive benefits of exercise, along with adequate prot...
Jan 12, 2024•28 min•Ep. 757
Did you know that Dollar Stores are the fastest growing food retailer in the U.S.? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Sara John, Ph.D., Deputy Director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and lead author of “Stretching the Dollar: Community Informed Opportunities to Improve Healthy Food Access through Dollar Stores.” John discusses the steady growth of Dollar Stores, their potential impact on community health, and policy...
Jan 05, 2024•28 min•Ep. 756
Did you know that farm couples often have to find off-farm jobs to secure health insurance? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Anna Jones-Crabtree, Ph.D., owner and operator of Vilicus Farms and Institute, in Havre, MT. Jones-Crabtree discusses agricultural challenges and opportunities for farming in light of climate change, policy, and relationships with community and nature. She explains “systems thinking,” and encourages us to reco...
Dec 28, 2023•28 min•Ep. 755
Did you know that biodiversity is key to resilience? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Doug Crabtree, owner and operator of Vilicus Farms and Institute, in Havre, MT. From the heart of wheat country in the northern plains, Crabtree discusses the challenges he faces from climate change, U.S. agricultural policies, and the benefits of organic agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem services. Importantly, he shares his philosophy on farmin...
Dec 21, 2023•28 min•Ep. 754
Did you know that USDA’s new Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards will help promote animal welfare? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Harriet Behar, organic farmer, inspector, educator and Farmer Services Consultant for the Organic Farming Association. Behar describes the multiple benefits of organic agriculture and explains how USDA’s new organic livestock and poultry standards benefit farmers, inspectors, and consumers. Related ...
Dec 15, 2023•28 min•Ep. 753
Did you know that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves more than 40 million Americans, or about 1 in 8 people living in poverty in the U.S.? However, large corporations also benefit from the program. Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Jennifer Wilkins, Ph.D., RD, a leader in sustainable, community-based food systems. Wilkins discusses SNAP funding, spending, and how the program could be improved to better match ...
Dec 07, 2023•28 min•Ep. 752
Did you know that religious beliefs have influenced our eating habits throughout history? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, for her interview with Christina Ward, food historian, Vice President and Editor at Feral House, and author of Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat – An American History. Ward discusses historical food traditions and unique practices from traditional religions to cults and utopian societies, a...
Dec 01, 2023•28 min•Ep. 751
