Food Politics by Marion Nestle
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Charles Platkin of the Center for Food as Medicine & Longevity sent me this gem. His summary: Eating almonds improved how people rated their sleep, but most objective sleep measures did not change…Almonds are nutritious, but this is not proof they treat insomnia. The study: Desai SR, Pinto L, Halbe A, Vaidya RA, Udipi SA and […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: almonds and sleep appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
When my children, Rebecca and Charles Nestle, visited last week, we took a walk on the High Line in Manhattan, spotted this water fountain at 23rd Street, and I took this picture. Here’s what the sign says: Ximena Garrido-Lecca The Golden Crop, July 2026 – June 2027 The High Line press release explains: Ximena Garrido-Lecca uses […] The post Weekend viewing: food politics art on the High Line appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Everyone should read Eric Schlosser’s op-ed, Why Did Trump Order Up 660 Million Pounds of Mystery Meat? We have country-of-origin labeling for fresh produce. But because of Big Meat lobbying, Beef and pork are notable exceptions to these laws. And that may help to explain why President Trump signed a proclamation last month that will allow […] The post Where is country-of-origin labeling for beef when we need it? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
A bunch of items got me thinking about the gap between what MAHA promised and what it is actually doing: mostly talk, but not much action. I. This post from Senator Elizabeth Warren on X. II. The New York Times: How Kennedy did on children’s health reforms Everything seems to be a mixed bag: Dietary […] The post How is MAHA doing so far? Not so great. appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
It’s Climate Week, so this seems ironically appropriate. Never mind global warming, ruminant greenhouse gas emissions, or food safety. You have to love the double-speak rhetoric: This action aligns research and promotion activities with the Department’s priorities and the original mission of the checkoffs. USDA remains committed to ensuring that every dollar collected from American […] The post USDA tells dairy industry not to worry about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) overregulation appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I subscribe to Jerry Hagstrom’s “The Hagstrom Report” for his tracking of food events in Washington DC I would not know about otherwise. He occasionally hosts sponsored posts and I was especially interested to read this one on September 15: “Candy: An American Manufacturing Success Story 250 Years in the Making” by John Downs, the […] The post The National Confectioners Association is concerned about sugar restrictions appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Wish Fast Food Nation a happy 25th anniversary. It’s hard for me to believe it’s been 25 years since this book first appeared, but 25th anniversary editions of my Food Politics and Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma are also in the works. The book is about the beef industry and what it does to the animals, packing house workers, the […] The post Weekend (Re-)reading: Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
More and more Americans are taking GLP-1 drugs; the current estimate is 11%. This causes a big problem for the food industry. Eating less is bad for business. Here are some of the ways the food industry is responding. Analyzing the GLP-1 consumer Overturning 7 industry assumptions about the GLP-1 consumer: The newest evidence challenges […] The post GLP-1 Drugs: A collection of items appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I was struck by this announcement: Campbell’s is not the only one. Also see: Food Dive: The biggest food and beverage layoffs in 2025 ProFoodWorld: Food Industry Layoffs Mount as Nestlé, Del Monte Cut Jobs Democracy Now: Over 3,000 Workers Laid Off as Tyson Foods Closes Meatpacking Plants What’s going on? I see four reasons for […] The post Layoffs: a sign of flagging food industry sales appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
If you want to know why school food is so controversial, and improving its nutrition quality is so difficult, follow the money. A reader, Jennifer Windh, says she is a mom of a second grader in Texas (Tomball School District) and a member of “Make Texans Healthy Again.” She tells me she asked ChatGPT to […] The post Who is lobbying about the forthcoming school food rules? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I learned about this one from a press release: Natural trans fats in dairy do not raise heart disease risk. Trans fats found naturally in dairy foods such as milk, butter and cheese do not increase the risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes, a new study has found. Who, I wondered, could possibly […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: dairy trans fats appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The industry newsletter, FoodNavigator, reports the top international Big Food companies. The full list is here. Nestlé (no relation) is the clear winner. Among the top 10, only Danone and Tyson report lower sales in 2026 than in 2025. I can only speculate about the reasons, but am guessing problems in the beef supply and reduced […] The post What are the top food brands? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Today is my 90th birthday, and this is my 5765th post on this site since starting it in 2007. To quote the late Gloria Steinem, this is what 90 looks like. Photo taken at Autumn Leaves Books, Ithaca, July 2026 As should be obvious, I have had a hugely fortunate life. I was born […] The post Reflections on my 90th birthday—and food politics appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Yuka, the wildly popular (88 million users) supermarket app for analyzing food labels for nutritional value and health impact, has produced a terrific report: Ultra-Processed Foods: Decoding a Food Transformation with Major Health Consequences. The report Reviews the history of food processing Defines ultra-processed foods Reviews their health risks Explain how they affect health Describes the […] The post Yuka’s report on ultra-processed foods: Don’t miss it. appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
My co-author, Lisa Sutherland, is a former vice president of Kellogg. We had a great time writing this. Information about the book is here. For a 30% discount at that site, use code UCPSAVE30. Here’s the official launch invitation Please come to the celebration and launch for my new book, Tuesday, September 8 | 6:00–8:00 […] The post Sugar-Coated: published today! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
On this Labor Day, let’s honor the people who do the hard agricultural work that brings food to our tables. Image from Vecteezy. The post Labor Day: a food politics reminder appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Gloria Steinem was very much a heroine of my generation. I did not know her personally, although I met her once. It was a memorable occasion. Gloria Steinem, Padma Lakshmi, Ruth Reichl, and me in 2021. This was a meeting at Gloria’s house to discuss menopause, of all things. I could not figure out why […] The post RIP Gloria Steinem, 1934-2026 appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I’ve been following the Cyclospora outbreak with riveted interest because it so exemplifies what’s wrong with our food system: not enough safety effort from producers and not enough government oversight. So here is Washington Post writer, Tamar Haspel, asking Why we should stop eating lettuce, cyclospora or not. “Lettuce,” she says, “makes us sick, wastes resources […] The post Should we be eating lettuce? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Alas, we must now mourn the death of one of the great heroes of food politics, the honorable and immensely inspiring Wendell Berry. His very existence was enough for hope that a decent food system might some day be possible in the United States. When I think of his writings—his many books, essays, and poems—the […] The post RIP Wendell Berry, 1934 – 2026 appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
MAHA has announced a big win. A study of purchase data from states with SNAP food restriction waivers, “Short-Run Impacts of SNAP Restriction Waivers on Beverage Purchases,” finds a 13% decrease in soda purchases within the first two months, with even larger decreases in the poorest households (18.5%). Yes, 13%, not 12% as the MAHA […] The post SNAP waivers are associated with short-term decreases in soda purchases appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
When I saw the title of this study, I thought I’ll bet the Hass Avocado people paid for this one. Bingo. This is a classic example of an industry-funded study producing the desired result. The study: LeBeau K, Segovia-Siapco G, Heskey C … The Effect of Including 1 Avocado Daily in a Habitual Diet on […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: avocados again appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Summer J, Classens M, eds. Teaching Food Studies. Elgar Guides to Teaching. Edward Elgar, 2026. 310 pages. I wrote the Foreword to this book (see below), but when it arrived I was stunned and utterly honored to see its dedication: “To Marion Nestle and Mustafa Koç, principled and generous food justice leaders. And to our […] The post Weekend Reading: Teaching Food Studies appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I collect items about cannabis edibles and just realized nothing new has come in for a for a long time. Not much is happening with these products since President Trump reclassified marijuana as a Class III (less dangerous) drug. The FDA regulates cannabis edibles but has not said anything new about them for the last […] The post Cannabis edibles: an update of sorts appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Farm Action has produced a riveting new report: Taylor Farms: How One Company’s Reach Became a National Risk. Many, but by no means all, Cyclospora cases have been traced back to a Taylor farm in Mexico. The CDC’s page on this. The FDA’s page on this. Bill Marler’s count of state case reports: 31,521 From […] The post The root cause of the massive Cyclospora outbreak: industry consolidation appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
As anyone familiar with my work will know, I have made a career out of commenting on government dietary advice. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are particularly entertaining as quintessential examples of food politics in action, the latest ones in particular. To summarize: They offered two excellent messages–Eat Real Food, and limit ultra-processed foods–but undermined […] The post PCRM sues government to cancel the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
This, from the New York Times on August 21. Here’s the headline: A sales growth of ONLY 2.6% dropped Walmart’s stock by 9%. OK, Walmart isn’t all about food, but it has larger food sales than any other place by a wide margin. As I keep saying, I’m not against profit. But the idea that […] The post Our current investment system does not work for food companies or us appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Chin Jou. Captive Consumers: Hunger, Violence, and Inequality in American Prison Food. University of North Carolina Press, 2026. 344 pages. I have been a fan of Chin Jou’s work for a long time and did a blurb for her latest book: Captive Consumers is a tough, uncompromising, and utterly compelling analysis of the ways America’s […] The post Weekend reading: a deep dive into prison food appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I. DOJ, FDA take raw pet food company to court. This one comes from Phyllis Entis of eFoodAlert. She writes: “I thought this might interest you. Last Friday, the DOJ filed a Complaint against Arrow Reliance Inc. (Darwin’s Natural Pet Products) and its owner, Gary Tashjian.” The Complaint seeks to block Darwin’s from selling adulterated drugs; it […] The post Four items about pet food politics appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I was interested to see this report. Here’s why this matters: As can be seen, concentration across all six sectors remains high. Five of them – seeds, pesticides, machinery, animal pharma and pig genetics – meet the definition of an oligopoly, in which four companies control more than 40% of a market. So too […] The post Concentration in agriculture: a big problem getting bigger appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Government Accountability Office reports: Federal Social Safety Net Programs: Millions of Workers, Including Many Employed by Large Employers, Continue to Rely on Medicaid and SNAP. To learn more about the working adults who used these programs in 2024, we analyzed employment data from 11 states and Census data. We found: About two-thirds worked full time […] The post A national scandal: millions of U.S. workers rely on Medicaid and SNAP appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Thanks to Phyllis Entis of eFoodAlert.com for this one. The Study: Minimally processed, human-grade diet alters canine epigenetic ageing: Results from a pilot study. Aimee Chen, Wei Guo, Janina A. Krumbeck, Dan Su, Vincent Michels, Xiaojing Yang. First published: 05 August 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/vro2.70047 Results: Dogs fed with MPHGF diet [minimally processed, human-grade food] exhibited a significant reduction in delta age, decreasing from 2.75 […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: dog food appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released its annual report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI). From the press release The good news Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, demonstrating that progress is possible. The not-so-good news However, the improvements […] The post Weekend good news (at least in part): global hunger reduced! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
As is my wont, I collect items about pet food. Safety The CDC’s web page on pet food safety makes three main points: Pet food and treats can sometimes be contaminated with germs that make people and pets sick. CDC does not recommend feeding raw pet food or treats to dogs and cats. Talk to […] The post Pet food safety and other issues: a short roundup appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I’ll say this again. No, Cyclospora is not a food industry conspiracy to keep people from eating real foods. It is a serious illness that has put plenty of people in hospitals and killed at least two. At Monday’s MAHA press conference (see yesterday’s post), the FDA announced: Finally, though not part of today’s announcement, […] The post FDA’s new rules on produce safety appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
RFK Jr held a press conference yesterday to celebrate “the biggest news in food reform in modern history”—requiring food manufacturers to notify the FDA when they are introducing a new food additive they want considered Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). This wasn’t already required? No, it was not. This gap is the long-troubling “GRAS loophole.” […] The post Closing the GRAS loophole? It’s about time, but is that all? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I keep saying that I can often tell who funded a study from its title, and if I know the funder I can often predict the result. But sometimes I’m wrong. This is one of those times. The study: Effects of Short-Term Broccoli Powder Supplementation on Acute Oxidative Stress and Recovery Following a Metabolically Demanding […] The post An industry-funded study with a rare negative result! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I am totally for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2015, they set targets for the betterment of global populations, to be achieved by 2030. The targets were ambitious from the get go, but it’s a global tragedy that so little has been achieved. Here’s the summary. This report is especially thoughtful, not surprising […] The post Weekend reading: Sustainable Development Goals progress (or lack thereof) appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Most people who eat enough calories get more than enough of the protein they need, so the current protein craze—putting pea, whey, and tofu into everything—doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It does sell products though. It’s hard to choose from among the most entertaining protein-supplemented products. Coffee? Protein water? Pop-Tarts? But this remains […] The post The hyper-marketing of protein, continued appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) made many promises, most of them still in the works. But one seems to be well on the way to being achieved. Under MAHA pressure, some companies agreed to voluntarily remove petroleum-based food colors by the end of 2027. I went to the Target in Ithaca, NY last […] The post MAHA’s one achievement so far: voluntary elimination of artificial food colors appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
States have reported upwards of 20,000 cases of Cyclospora-caused explosive diarrhea, some of them–but by no means all—traced to lettuce grown by Taylor Farms in Mexico and shipped to Taco Bell and, apparently, lots of other places. The best way to keep track of all this—and it is a lot to keep track of—is to […] The post Update on the Cyclospora outbreak: What to do? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Examination has released an investigative report in its new “Behind the Buzz” series: “Is it safe to drink Red Bull and vodka? Dubious research tied to the company has shaped energy drink policy. The company paid scientists whose studies largely found that mixing energy drinks and alcohol isn’t harmful, contrary to most research.” The studies […] The post Funding effect study of the week: Red Bull appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
One Year Later: How H.R. 1’s SNAP Policy Changes Are Reverberating Across the Food System CSPI ad GFI frame this report in an interesting way, as a tale of two distinct, and sometimes at cross-purposes, Trump administration food agendas. The first, reflected in Project 2025 and H.R. 1, represents an economic agenda focused on reducing […] The post Weekend reading: What the Trump administration has done to SNAP—and to grocery stores appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
[First, a correction to yesterday’s post about peptides. Peptides are injected, not consumed orally. Therefore, they are not regulated as supplements. I should have made this clear. Sorry.] I’ve been collecting examples of new foods coming on the market or already here, all of which raise the question: Do we need this? Salmon from spirulina? […] The post Annals of food marketing: weird, wonderful, and profitable appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Last week, MAHA proudly announced that the FDA Panel appointed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr had approved 6 of 7 Peptides over the objections of FDA scientists. The vote is a win for HHS Secretary Kennedy and MAHA, opening a path for compounding pharmacies to prepare BPC-157, TB-500 and four other popular peptides […] The post What will the FDA do about peptides? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I am outraged by the Cyclospora outbreak. It has sickened thousands of people so far (>16,000?), and made some of them very sick. Cyclospora is different from other foodborne pathogens. It comes from human waste and cannot be removed by washing (although that helps some) or killed by chlorine. It can only be removed by […] The post The Cyclospora outbreak: an everyone-is-at-fault system failure: “LettuceGate” appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Here’s how I learned about this one: KSM-66 ashwagandha may support cognition and sleep in children: Supplementation with KSM-66 ashwagandha root extract in gummy form for eight weeks is well tolerated and may enhance cognitive performance and sleep quality in children between the ages of 6 and 12, according to new research…. Read more One […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: Ashwagandha supplements appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I walked into Autumn Leaves Books in Ithaca last week to talk to them about my event there on September 12, and was surprised and delighted to see my forthcoming book with Lisa Sutherland—for the first time! Its official publication date is September 8. If you pre-order it through UC Press, you get a 30% […] The post Sugar Coated: Now Available for Pre-Order (at a discount!) appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
A Lighthouse-led international cooperative investigation has produced Big Food vs. The People, a detailed account of how food and beverage companies are filing lawsuits to block public health measures that might induce people to stop buying their products. In public, the world’s biggest and richest food companies such as Coca Cola, PepsiCola, and Mondelez say they […] The post Big Food vs. The People: lawsuits against public health measures appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
My post last week, Setting the record straight: Calley Means, generated many comments and correspondence, for which I am most grateful. I especially want to thank writers who produced their own pieces on this incident. Robyn O’Brien on Substack: The Tobacco Industry Playbook is Being Run Against the Woman Who Wrote the Book On It. […] The post A special thank you to readers for comments on “Setting the Record Straight: Calley Means appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
[To subscribers: technical problems with WP Engine prevented this from being sent out yesterday, so I’m trying it again] I received this request from Thomas Eagen, Senior Health Policy Advisor, Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor and Pensions) Committee: I am reaching out with big news: Senator Sanders bill, the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act, is scheduled to be […] The post Call for letters of support: Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Someone sent me this new interactive site. from Our World in Data: How does food get traded around the world? It’s fun and useful. Scroll down the page until you come to the impossibly complicated chart on global maize trade in 2023. Ignore it. Above it are places where you can type in the product […] The post Weekend playing: food trade around the world appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
If you, as I am, are shocked by the cost of groceries, we now have the data. The Economist has been tracking food prices, in this case for a Fourth of July barbecue. Its “unappetizing conclusion”— Across the 25 cities in our sample, the basket now costs an average of $81, 12% more than a year […] The post You think food prices are rising? They are! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Background (numbers refer to citations at the end) The Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission set an important goal, albeit one ironically similar to Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move” campaign: end childhood chronic disease.[1] Unfortunately, hallucinated references in the report suggested that at least some of it had been written by AI, thereby detracting […] The post What has MAHA accomplished to date? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Washington Post reporter, Tim Carman, contacted me for comment about a speech he heard made by RFK Jr’s top food advisor, Calley Means, in which Means made patently false charges about my work. From Carman’s report, MAHA Mondays at the Great American State Fair miss one obvious problem: Means suggested her research had been bankrolled […] The post Setting the record straight: Calley Means appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
This will be a Food and Nutrition section panel. Details to follow. The post San Antonio: American Public Health Association appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I learned about this one from a National Pork Board story in SciTechDaily: Animal vs. Plant Protein: Scientists Found a Surprising Nutritional Difference. A 2023 Purdue University study found that two ounce equivalents (oz-eq) of animal-based protein foods supplied more bioavailable essential amino acids (EAA) than the same two oz-eq amount of plant-based protein foods. Essential amino acids […] The post Industry-funded study of the week: plant v. animal proteins appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Nick Freudenberg. Fighting for New York: Activism for Health and Social Justice. Columbia University Press, 2026. I wrote a blurb for this book, happily: A roadmap for health activists, Fighting for New York illustrates each step needed for successful advocacy through campaigns conducted by a wide range of city-based community organizations since the 1960s. These […] The post Weekend reading: Fighting for New York appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I’ve been collecting items on microplastics, for which research is finding increasing evidence for harm to human and environmental health. Here are some relatively recent examples of what’s out there on this topic. NOTE: Today and Tomorrow: NIH is holding a hybrid Workshop on Micro[nano]plastic Measurement for Population Studies: link to registration is here. Should […] The post Microplastics: research and commentary appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
An article in Food Business News caught my eye: The companies most exposed to consumer UPF concerns. The article is based on an analysis by BNP Paribus, which tracks the effects of the new dietary guidelines on the food industry. It looked at the percent of 12 food companies’ products that are ultra-processed (Nova 4 […] The post Ultra-processed foods are not increasing sales as much as unprocessed foods appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
My days of having small children are long past, but my heart breaks for families trying to decide what to feed infants who cannot be breastfed. Powdered infant formula is the least expensive option. Unfortunately—and tragically these days—it is not sterile. Ordinary bacterial contaminants are not a problem. Pathogens are. In recent years, there have […] The post Contaminated infant formula: Unsafe, unpunished, corrupted appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Let’s start this July 4 week with a bit of good news. Santa Cruz gets to keep the tax it passed in 2024. The Santa Cruz Sentinel: City of Santa Cruz wins court ruling on soda tax. The Sacramento County Superior Court denied a petition challenging Santa Cruz’s sugar-sweetened beverage tax….The tax was approved by […] The post Happy July 4: Santa Cruz gets to keep its soda tax appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I am on the advisory council to the National Food Museum, an online project created by Michael Jacobson, the now-retired founder and president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. It currently hosts three exhibits. (1) Food Impact Meter: This tells you how specific foods affect health and the environment. (2) Video Vault: […] The post Weekend viewing: The National Food Museum appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The USDA published occasional “charts of note.” I thought this one was especially useful. The chart gives an estimate of total spending on food in the U.S.—an astonishing $2.51 trillion in 2025. $1.4 trillion goes for food away from home. $1.1 trillion goes for food at home. The data are from USDA’s Food Expenditure Series, […] The post USDA: Food in the U.S. is a $2.5 trillion business! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I am not a litigious person, so I rarely pay attention to lawsuits, but this notice caught my eye: Chobani sued by Danone over high-protein yogurt claims: The Oikos maker said its rival is engaging in “unfair competition and consumer deception” to make its product more appealing to shoppers. Danone says Chobani is inflating the amount […] The post Latest episode in the yogurt wars: Danone sues Chobani appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Supreme Court has just handed Bayer, which owns Monsanto, a “landmark victory.” The decision may well overturn thousands of pending cases of people suing Bayer in the belief that the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) caused them to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Monsanto v. Durnell states its premise in the first paragraph: […] The post The Supreme Court’s Decision about Glyphosate: Wrong, Infuriating, and Un-MAHA appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I learned about this one from a British public relations firm. Hey Marion, Eating an egg a day could cut Alzheimer’s risk by 27%, major new study reveals as UK searches for dementia prevention hit a five-year high. The press release linked to the study Egg Intake and the Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease in the […] The post Industry funded study of the week: eggs and Alzheimer’s appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Global Food Institute at George Washington University has a new report out: Changing the Default: A Policy Roadmap for Reducing Added Sugars in U.S. Children’s Diets, by Fielding-Singh, P., D. Cherlin, and M. Maitin-Shepard. June 2026. What the report is about: American children today consume far too much added sugar, and it is harming […] The post Weekend reading: less sugar for kids! appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) loophole refers to the way the FDA allows food manufacturers basically to decide for themselves whether the additives they are using are safe, voluntarily or not. Closing the loophole is a key goal of the Make America Healthy Again Movement (MAHA), and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has […] The post The latest on closing the GRAS loophole appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I know I just wrote about botulism in powdered infant formula but it upsets me so much that I have to do it again. We now have a second outbreak, first ByHeart now Nara, both linked to contaminated organic whole milk from the same German supplier. Yes, botulism in infant formula is rare, but not […] The post Botulism in infant formula: Companies must prevent this. Now. appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Yesterday, a US District Court in the District of Columbia ruled that the USDA violated its own laws when it approved SNAP food restriction waivers allowing states to ban purchases of sodas and some other foods using their Electronic Benefit Cards (they can still buy those foods using their own money). The decision makes riveting […] The post Oops. District Court in DC says USDA’s state SNAP waivers are illegal appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Who knew raspberries were an industry. As it happens, every food has its own industry, each more desperate than the next to prove it is a superfood so you will buy it and not its competing foods. Here’s how I heard about this one: Red raspberries linked to better blood sugar control and memory in […] The post Industry funded study of of the week: raspberries appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Legal issues about CBD and THC edibles continue to be in flux, and not only in the United States. DOJ, DEA Reschedule Medical Cannabis Products: The rescheduling follows a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump, which called on the U.S. Attorney General to “take all necessary steps to complete the rulemaking process related to rescheduling […] The post Weekend reading: cannabis edibles appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Apparently so. According to the New York Times, the city has banned ads promoting activities linked to high carbon emissions. Meat is high on that list. On May 1, Amsterdam became the world’s first capital city to ban ads for fossil fuel products and meat. It’s part of the city’s efforts to discourage consumption of […] The post Did Amsterdam really ban meat ads? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Here’s what got me started on this one: SNAP waivers could lead to $830M sales loss for soda, candy, energy drinks: By the end of 2026, state-specific restrictions are expected to impact one-third of participants in the government food assistance program, Numerator found. Redirected or reduced spending by SNAP households could lead to sales losses of $430 […] The post SNAP waivers: bad for business? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
StatNews ‘ Isabella Cueto and J. Emory Parker did a detailed analysis of 80 promises made by the MAHA administration and evaluated progress toward meeting them. I’ve pulled out the promises most relevant to food and nutrition (I’m surprised at how many there are). These are worth reading, not least because of Stat’s thoughtful analysis of what the […] The post Stat News’ assessment of MAHA progress: a mixed bag appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Once again, I am breaking my rule about no guest posts, but this one is too much fun not to share. Erin Weinger interviewed me for her Substack, which she calls Going to Seed, and agreed to let me do a repost. I thought this would be a great way to start the week. Enjoy! […] The post Guest post: A visit to my Manhattan terrace appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
In September 2025, I was invited by the Flagstaff Family Food Center to give a talk on “Anti-Hunger Politics 2025: Planting Seeds for Resilience.” This is an organization in Northern Arizona doing outstanding anti-hunger work. The Center has just produced its 2025 Northern Arizona Food Equity Report. The online copy is here. It is well worth […] The post Weekend reading: Flagstaff anti-hunger efforts appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I was riveted to come across this item. Coked-Up Salmon Go Speeding Upstream: Have you ever wondered whether the cocaine you snort ends up giving Atlantic salmon the zoomies? It turns out it does—at least to a certain extent. Welcome to the Salmonopolis 500. No. It never entered my mind. But now there is a study: Cocaine […] The post Do salmon really get high on cocaine? And will you if you eat it? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
My forthcoming (September 8) book with Lisa Sutherland, Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast Food, discusses Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) efforts to remove potentially harmful artificial colors from the food supply. I just bought the first cereal that dropped those colors and replaced them with vegetable dyes. The company did […] The post A MAHA Win? Trix without petroleum dyes appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I don’t usually host guest posts here, but I read food safety lawyer Bill Marler’s blog and obtained his permission to reprint it. It should be obvious why I thought you should read it. We’re Turning Off the Smoke Detectors on America’s Food Supply By Bill Marler on June 6, 2026 Posted in Case News The people who find […] The post Food safety in peril: a post from Bill Marler appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Last week on my way home from the Washington, DC, launch of the ultra-processed papers from the American Journal of Public Health, I was corresponding with Richard McCarthy (Think Like Pirates) about our mutual sadness about the death of Slow Food founder, Carlo Petrini. Richard said our conversation inspired him to ask the free ChatGBT to […] The post The wonders of AI: a cubist portrait appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems has released its latest report, The New Geopolitics of Food: Navigating policies for resilient self-reliance. The report focuses on how “how wars, trade disputes, aid cuts, climate shocks, and weakening international cooperation are pushing up food prices, deepening hunger, and reshaping global food security.” It draws on […] The post Weekend reading: IPES-Food’s report on the New Geopolitics of Food appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Nutritionists like me cannot understand why people think they need more protein, so much so that the food industry is putting protein into everything. Most Americans consume close to twice the amount of protein needed, and practically anyone who consumes enough calories gets plenty. Protein is in lots of foods and it’s really hard not […] The post The eye-rolling protein craze: some thoughts appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The American Journal of Public Health has just published a series of papers on ultraprocessed foods to which I contributed this editorial. These papers are released today as part of the launch of new initiative, Fed UP! aimed at establishing policies to help reduce consumption of ultraprocessed foods and prevent their harm to health. Press […] The post American Journal of Public Health series on Ultraprocessed Foods: My Editorial appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The True Health Initiative held its 2nd Annual Global Health Misinformation Symposium, in which I participated. The papers from the symposium have just been published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. They are available under the heading “Knowing Well, Being Well” on the journal’s site. All are open access. My contribution is here. Food […] The post American Journal of Health Promotion: papers on misinformation: my latest appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I learned about this one first from a reader, Kevin Mitchell, and later from Leslie Raabe of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Beef vs. Chicken: Surprising Results From New Prediabetes Study A new randomized controlled trial (RCT) offers insight into one often-debated question: does eating red meat worsen metabolic health in people already at […] The post Industry funded study of the week: beef again appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I usually do posts about conflicts of interest on Mondays, but wanted to acknowledge the death of Carlo Petrini right away this week. So here’s the Monday post. David A Cleveland, Research Professor in the Department of Geography, and Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, sent this one: Skimming through this I found an […] The post Weekend reading: Industry influenced opinion of the week appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The FDA says artificial sweeteners are safe at current levels of use. It has established Acceptable Daily Intakes for most of them. These levels are much, much higher than anyone is likely to consume in a day. But: The benefits and risk of these sweeteners continue to be debated. The Benefits? Rethinking sweetness in an […] The post Artificial sweeteners: risks vs. benefits? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Yes, I know baby food pouches are convenient and let babies feed themselves without making a mess. But I can think of so many reasons not to use them. Baby food pouches: Contain foods that are generally too sweet. Contain homogenious textures. Do not teach babies about the color, taste, and texture of real foods. […] The post Greenpeace finds microplastics in baby food pouches appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
It’s impossible not to notice all the reports of declining food sales. I’ve been talking about four existential threats to the food industry: Robert F. Kennedy Jr (“The food industry is poisoning America”) Ultra-processed foods (dietary guidelines advise eating less of them) GLP-1 drugs (they reduce food intake) Inflation (people can’t afford to overeat) To […] The post Is Big Food in trouble? Five existential threats. appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Carlo Petrini and Slow Food acolytes in Turin, 2016. As a member of Slow Food USA, I received its notice about the death of its founder, Carlo Petrini, at age 76 in Bra, Italy. A visionary leader and public intellectual with a profound commitment to the common good, human relationships, and the natural world, […] The post RIP Carlo Petrini: a huge loss to the food world and to humanity appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
When I wrote about dogs getting stoned on cannabis edibles last week, I had no idea this was a thing. From Bill Nesheim (my sort of son-in-law): This has been a fairly big problem for hikers in New Hampshire. I’ve seen a number of situations where dogs needed to be rescued from the mountains due […] The post Dogs and cannabis edibles: readers weigh in appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
You might think of GLP-1 drugs as miracles of modern medicine, but the food industry views them as a threat. Why? Eating less is bad for business. The Threat Data: Alarming new research reveals threat GLP-1s pose to food and drink sector: New research has revealed that as many as 8% of Britons now use weight […] The post The effects of GLP-1 drugs on the food industry: A collection of recent items appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
While we are on the subject of stocking standards for grocery stores, take a look at what’s happening in Scotland. Less sugar, more pressure: Scotland’s HFSS rules force a food industry rethink: With Scotland’s HFSS restrictions arriving in October, food manufacturers are under mounting pressure to reformulate products without sacrificing taste, texture or brand identity… […] The post Scotland’s new stocking rules appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The USDA has announced that retailers who serve SNAP recipients will now have to carry more real food. As of fall 2026, Retailers authorized to accept SNAP benefits must now carry seven varieties of items across four categories of staple foods: protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. This change more than doubles the requirement […] The post USDA expands stocking standards for retailers who serve SNAP recipients appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Navid Teimouri, who is at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland, sent me his team’s recently published analysis of meat industry sponsored nutrition studies and their outcomes: Is Meat Industry Affiliation Associated With Study Conclusion in Nutrition Research? A Meta-Research Review. This is a classic study of what the late Sheldon Krimsky called […] The post Meat industry: the funding effect appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
I am a big fan of Whole Dog Journal, a terrifically interesting and useful publication about anything you might want to know about having a dog as a pet—or family member. One of its recent articles: What to Do If Your Dog Eats Marijuana (Edibles, Weed, Vape Cartridges, etc.) I wrote about cannabis edibles in a chapter […] The post Weekend warning: pets and cannabis edibles appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Secretary Kennedy promised to define ultra-processed foods by April (after a call for input), but then said it may be too complicated to define these foods for policy purposes. Apparently not. Healthy Eating Research convened an expert panel. It made three recommendations: I. Definition A food product is ultra-processed if it contains at least one […] The post Ultra-processed food defined: not all that complicated appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The USDA has announced its implementation of President Trump’s Whole Milk for Health Kids Act. This act (see Federal Register notice): Removes requirements that school milk be fat-free or low fat, flavored or not. Permits schools to also offer whole and reduced-fat milks, flavored or not. Excludes the saturated fat in milk from counting toward […] The post Whole milk in schools: Will it make kids healthier? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle
Let me start with a summary from Food Safety News: The final four in the [meat] consolidation game are: JBS – This Brazil-based food giant is the world’s largest beef processor. It owns facilities that slaughter and pack over 20,000 cattle per day in the U.S. Tyson Foods – Known for chicken, Tyson is also the second largest […] The post Meat industry consolidation: a national security issue? appeared first on Food Politics by Marion Nestle