Did you know that there is a conceptual change in science that includes a broader understanding of how pollutants and our microbiome interact to impact the development of disease? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Robin Mesnage, PhD, toxicologist, Scientific Director at the Buchinger Wilhelmi Therapeutic Fasting program in Uberlingen Germany, and visiting research fellow in the dept. of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College, London. Mesnage spoke at the Glyphosate Symposium at the U. of WA-Seattle in March, 2026. He shares his insight into how glyphosate, and more specifically Round-up herbicide affects the liver and microbiome. He also discusses the challenges of living in a toxic environment, polluted with plastics and pesticides. Mesnage discusses how banning toxic substances (bis-phenol A, glyphosate) can lead to unfortunate substitutions with more toxic compounds. Finally, he speaks about the power of intermittent, and therapeutic fasting to combat common diseases that plague modern society.
 
 Related Websites:   https://www.instagram.com/robin_mesnage/

Did you know that people who are incarcerated typically receive poor quality food that contributes to poor mental and physical health? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Jessi Silverman, MPH, RD, Deputy Director in the Programs Department at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. CSPI and the Carceral Nutrition Project produced a report and webinar which explore the consequences of private food service companies taking over food services at prisons and jails. This report specifically focuses on Aramark, which has the largest share (35 percent) of the US correctional food services market. Aramark has also been a party to litigation regarding carceral food conditions in more than 500 cases since 2000. These cases reveal widespread allegations of nutritionally inadequate, unsafe, and contaminated food.  Most legal claims have been brought under the Eighth Amendment, arguing that inadequate or unsafe food constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.
 
 Related Websites:  https://www.cspi.org/PrivateFoodPublicHarm-fullreport

Did you know that there is no standard legal definition of “regenerative” food and agriculture? 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, and co-author of “Regenerative Food Labels: What’s Behind the Claim?” Klein helps us navigate organic and regenerative food labels in the marketplace, the many benefits of organic food and farming, and communication and policy challenges. Klein references the report: “Merchants of Poison:” https://foe.org/resources/merchants-of-poison/

 Related Websites:  https://foe.org/resources/label-guide/

Did you know that agribusiness logic places emphasis on big yields while neglecting the value of small farms and gardens? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Andrew Flachs, PhD., Associate Professor of Anthropology at Purdue University, food and farming systems researcher, and author of Feeding the World as If People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields. Flachs continues his conversation in the second of a two-part interview on the benefits of smaller scale farming and home and community gardens, especially in times of crisis. He discusses his research into Cleveland Ohio’s urban gardens, GMO vs. organic cotton in India, and home gardens in Bosnia. He is also the author of an Op-Ed in Civil Eats: “Facing Global Disruptions, Congress Should Invest in Local Food” https://civileats.com/2026/04/23/op-ed-facing-global-disruptions-congress-should-invest-in-local-food/

Related Websites:   https://www.cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/andrew-flachs.html

Did you know that the push towards efficiency is often a trap? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Andrew Flachs, PhD., Associate Professor of anthropology at Purdue University, and food and farming systems researcher. He discusses highlights from his new book, Feeding the World as If People Mattered: How Small Farms Produce Value Beyond Yields. To receive a discount, use the code AZFLR which gives 30% off from the press website (https://uapress.arizona.edu/book/feeding-the-world-as-if-people-mattered

Related Websites:   https://www.cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/andrew-flachs.html

Did you know that glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in the world, and because of its ubiquitous use, glyphosate can be found in most of our bodies? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Lianne Sheppard, PhD, Professor in the Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and Biostatistics at the University of WA-Seattle. Sheppard discusses highlights and conclusions from the Seattle Glyphosate Symposium, and the risks from long term, low-level exposure. She also discusses why EPA registration of a pesticide does not mean that the pesticide is safe. To see the pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides) used in your part of the country, see the USGS maps of pesticide use: https://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/pnsp/usage/maps/compound_listing.php

Related Websites:   Glyphosate symposium: https://deohs.washington.edu/sgs/statement

Did you know that mechanical stimulation nourishes our bones? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Margaret Martin, physical therapist and expert on bone health. Martin explains why exercise and getting nutrients from foods is critical for promoting bone health, and preventing osteoporosis.
 
 Related Websites:   www.melioguide.com

Did you know that 75 percent of immerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Meghan Davis, DVM, PhD MPH, Associate Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University’s Center for a Livable Future. Davis discusses the concept of “One Health,” provides an update on the prevalence and spread of avian influenza (bird flu) to dairy cows and other animals, challenges related to vaccination, and the risks of raw milk. For a check list for One Health, see: Check list for One Health: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352771417300022

Related Websites:   Population Health Spotlight Series: One Health and the human/animal interface: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHMtykPmJCQ

Did you know that fast food products and ultra processed foods that contain toxic compounds such as phthalates, are more heavily marketed to people of color? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Ami Zota, ScD, Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Zota describes and discusses phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food supply through a health equity lens and discusses the disproportionate burden of toxic chemical exposures among communities of color.
 
 Related Websites:   Project  TENDR: https://projecttendr.org/ 

 Did you know that the fat in animal products can be a source for fat-soluble environmental toxins such as DDT and other pesticides? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Kari Hammerschlag, MS, Deputy Director of Friends of the Earth’s food and agriculture program. Hammerschlag discusses animal fats as potential reservoirs for fat-soluble environmental toxins, our new dietary guidelines, and how agricultural practices influence public health.

 Related Websites:   https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/5582564-toxic-load-industrial-meat/