In 1999, an FDA food investigator found traces of mercury in America’s favorite sweetener. But when she presented her findings, she was told to stop her research. The incident rang alarm bells — was the FDA covering up threats to public health? More recently, the agency’s sources of funding and their role in the Opioid Crisis have drawn suspicion and critici ... Show More
Aug 26
Conspiracy of Silence: The Town That Killed Ken Rex McElroy
1981, Skidmore, Missouri. Ken McElroy, the “bully of Nodaway County,” is gunned down in the street – in broad daylight, and in front of his wife and an untold number of witnesses. Despite multiple investigations and grand juries, nobody has ever been indicted in the case, thanks ... Show More
47m 54s
Aug 19
Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and the Laurel Canyon Conspiracy
In the 1960s, a new musical revolution emerged from Laurel Canyon, California. Bands like The Beach Boys, The Doors, and Crosby, Stills & Nash sang hit songs protesting the Vietnam War. However, while these tunes spoke to war protesting "hippies," some believe that they were crea ... Show More
56m 23s
Aug 12
UFO Over the Bass Triangle? The Disappearance of Fred Valentich
On October 21st, 1978, 20-year-old pilot Fred Valentich disappeared while flying across the Bass Strait, off the southeastern coast of Australia. Moments before vanishing, Fred described a bizarre encounter over the radio. He claimed an unidentified object seemed to be harassing ... Show More
53m 50s
Feb 2025
Can I trust the FDA? (from thalidomide to cough medicine)
<p><strong>#206</strong></p>
<p>Melissa and Jam address a listener's question about the FDA's reliability in approving products. They discuss the intersection of chemistry, government, and society, focusing on FDA's role in regulating food and drugs. The episode includes a deep d ... Show More
30m 23s
Mar 2023
Food Additives in Ultra-Processed Packaged Foods: An Examination of US Household Grocery Store Purchases
Senior author Elizabeth K. Dunford, PhD, presents results of the first study to examine what US consumers are purchasing (Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel data from 2001 and 2019), rather than relying on reported food and beverage intake, to evaluate exposure to food additives in ... Show More
8m 15s
Mar 2025
Why is red food dye banned?
<p><strong>#208</strong></p>
<p>Melissa and Jam dive deep into the topic of FDA regulations, particularly focusing on food additives like red food dye. They discuss the complexities of the FDA's approval process, the Delaney Clause, and recent changes in the regulation of red dye ... Show More
33m 49s