How the Industrial Food System and FDA Betray Humanity — and The Need to Reclaim Our Power

Here we’ve collated evidence of harm, corruption, betrayal and failure of the industrialized food system, and “regulatory” agencies such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Use the contents to jump to areas of interest. For more detail on the harms caused by toxins (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals, and synthetic food additives including high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and food dyes), see Toxins & Evidence of Harm.

Failure, Betrayal

1. Toxic Weed Killer Found in Most Foods Sold in the U.S. — “Few people had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine in 1993, but by 2016, 70% had detectable levels. Between 1993 and 2016, the glyphosate levels in people’s bodies increased by 1,208%… It’s been found to disrupt or destroy your microbiome, methylation pathways, thyroid health, protein synthesis, cell health and your mitochondrial function.”
2. 7 Food Additives Banned in Europe, Commonly Used in the US — “The stark contrast between food quality in the United States and Europe is often immediately apparent to those who travel abroad.”
3. Titanium Dioxide, Banned in Europe is One of the Most Common Food Additives in the U.S. “Titanium dioxide, a food additive in chewing gum, cakes, candies, breads and ice cream, is linked to a wide range of adverse health effects, particularly genotoxicity (a precursor to cancer) and intestinal inflammation. It is banned in the European Union but found all over grocery shelves in the U.S.”
4. Carcinogenic Added to Baked Goods for Decades in the U.S. is Banned in Many Countries — “Potassium bromate is commonly used as a food additive in baked goods, including breads, pastries, bagels, and crusts. It has been linked to various cancers, along with thyroid disease, kidney damage, gut irritation and reproductive abnormalities. In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), categorized potassium bromate as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” It has been banned as a food additive in Europe since 1990, in Canada since 1994, and in India since 2016. Other countries that have banned potassium bromate include Nigeria, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Peru, China, and Sri Lanka.”
5. U.S. Food System Far More Corrupted than Other Countries, including the UK — This article demonstrates how products with the same name have different ingredients in the U.S. vs the U.K., including the addition of corn syrup to the U.S. version of Heinz ketchup, for example. See also: Epoch Times article
6. Hundreds of Unnatural Ingredients in American Food System — “Hundreds of novel ingredients never encountered by human physiology are now found in nearly 60 percent of the average adult’s diet and nearly 70 percent of children’s diets in the United States… The unprecedented consumption of these ultra-processed foods in the standard American diet may be the new ‘silent’ killer.”
7. Non-Organic Fruits & Vegetables Contain Poisons — “The Environmental Working Group’s annual consumer’s guide reveals that almost three-fourths of non-organic fruits and vegetables sampled contained traces of toxic pesticides while the “dirty dozen” — including strawberries and spinach — tested at levels closer to 95%… Four out of five of the most frequently detected pesticides found on the twelve most-contaminated produce items were fungicides that could have serious health impacts.”
8. Lead-Tainted Applesauce Poisoned 400 Hundred Children in 2024 — February 2024, cinnamon applesauce pouches linked to 400 childhood lead poisoning cases. More Sources: New York Times article Epoch Times Nov 14, 2023 article and Nov 5, 2023 article
9. Parents Need to Know the Heavy Metal Content of Processed Foods & the Affect on their Children’s Health, including ADHD and Autism — “Educating women about the heavy metal content of ultra-processed foods, or junk foods, can reduce the risks of chronic diseases across generations, according to a U.S. study… Symptoms of autism or ADHD worsen as mercury and lead accumulate in an affected person’s blood.”
10. 80 Percent of Americans Exposed to Fertility-Lowering Chemicals in Cheerios, Quaker Oats — “Exposure to the chemical can result in lower fertility and harm developing fetuses even at doses below acceptable levels set by regulators. Researchers detected chlormequat in 80 percent of urine samples collected between 2017 and 2023, with ‘a significant increase in concentrations for samples from 2023.’ “
11. Toxic Heavy Metals, Glyphosate, and Pesticides in Popular Breakfast Cereal — “Testing by Moms Across America (MAA), an organization dedicated to educating and empowering others to create healthy communities, found the artificially flavored creme-filled breakfast food contains measurable levels of aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead, glyphosate, and pesticides shown to be harmful to humans.”
12. Wheat Intolerance Could be Due to Glyphosate, According to Canadian Study — “A scientific review identifies identifies glyphosate as a possible cause of the global rise in wheat intolerance.” See also: 1-min video below on wheat processing in Italy.
13. U.S. Food Manufacturers Can Label a Product “Whole Grain” Even if Only 51% of it Actually Is — “So you have no way to know how much you are actually getting.”
14. Farmed Salmon Are a Toxic ‘Junk Food’ — “Salmon farming is a disaster both for the environment and for human health, and tests show farmed salmon is about five times more toxic than any other food tested. In animal feeding studies, mice fed farmed salmon developed obesity and diabetes — effects researchers believe are related to toxic exposures. Besides pesticides and antibiotics used in fish farming, the most significant source of toxic exposure is the dry pellet feed, which contains dioxins, PCBs and other toxic pollutants. Farmed salmon also does not have the nutritional profile of wild salmon, containing more than three times more omega-6 fat than wild salmon, which further skews rather than corrects most people’s omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.”
15. 90% of U.S. Cheese Contains GMO Made by Pfizer — “Rennet is used as a clotting agent to curdle the milk into cheese, separating the liquid parts of milk from the solids. Pfizer makes a genetically modified rennet, but because of a labeling loophole, cheese containing Pfizer’s rennet does not have to be labeled as containing a genetically modified organism.”
16. “Just Eggs” Isn’t Eggs at All — “How do they get away with it? How can they be selling a product labelled ‘Just Eggs’ and now, ‘Just Eggs-Folded,’ that doesn’t contain a single egg. In fact, the first two products of “Just Eggs” are mung beans and canola oil… Farmers, ranchers, backyard chicken raisers, and all hungry people are on the front lines of the food wars.”
17. Nutella Advertising vs. Reality — “Advertised as a hazelnut spread with a touch of chocolate, Nutella actually contains a large dose of refined sugar and refined palm oil, both with known carcinogenic properties.”
18. Ultra-Pasteurization Robs Milk of Its Nutrients — Processing and storing “massive amounts of milk produced by factory farms robs it of its natural nutrients — but today, unprocessed milk is making a comeback.”
19. More on Milk Processing — “A 2019 study from China found that all forms of milk processing tested caused ‘formation of protein oxidation products which impair spatial learning and memory in rats.’ … As noted by Fallon, ultrapasteurization exposes the milk to far higher heat than boiling (284 F compared to 212 F). So, clearly, ultrapasteurized milk doesn’t even come close to real milk… Damaged milk proteins may contribute to allergic reactions, Fallon notes, and milk allergy is now commonplace. An estimated 20 Americans die each year from anaphylactic shock caused by conventional milk — a shocking reminder of just how far modern milk has strayed from real, raw milk, which rarely causes any allergic reactions.”
20. Chemicals Leaking from Plastic Food Packaging Harmful to Health — “Norwegian researchers reported that chemicals leaching from plastic food packaging may cause more concerning and widespread harm to health than previously realized, including developmental problems and hormone-related cancers.”
21. Plastics in Food Packaging Leak into Foods & Drinks, and “BPA Drives Childhood Obesity” — “BPA is a component of food packaging plastics that leaches into foods and drinks, so diet is the principal source of human exposure. Researchers cultured stool samples from 106 children (median age 7.7) to determine their bacterial microbiome composition. Cultured bacteria were then exposed to various concentrations of BPA… endocrine disruptor that promotes obesity through several mechanisms, including interfering with hormones that affect appetite and satiety… BPA exposure affects specific gut taxa and drives microbiota dynamics in childhood obesity… The study found that a child’s body mass index (BMI) determines how they process BPA, which in turn affects their gut microbiome composition in ways that drive further weight gain. In other words, it’s a vicious cycle.”
22. 61 Unauthorized ‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Food Packaging — This March 2024 article in the Scientific American highlights a global study that “identified 61 PFAS chemicals in food packaging that are not authorized for use in such products.”
23. Lawsuit Filed Against Nestle for Describing Perrier as “Mineral Water” When in Fact the Spring Now Contains Bacteria & Pollutants — The lawsuit claims “the company is misbranding its Perrier brand of bottled water because the French spring it comes from is contaminated and must be treated and filtered, violating French and U.S. regulations governing mineral water. Kevin O’Rourke filed a proposed class action against Nestle, claiming it was misleading customers by selling Perrier as a mineral water when the company knew the naturally carbonated underground spring in Vergeze, France, where it comes from contains bacteria and pollutants. The filtration and treatment that the water requires means it no longer qualifies as natural mineral water under either U.S. or French rules, the lawsuit claimed. The lawsuit follows a stir in France over mineral water bottling processes that began when a whistleblower came forward in 2020, alleging the companies’ manufacturing methods did not conform with French regulations.”
24. “The Sugar Conspiracy: Papers Expose Industry Plot to Frame Fat for Heart Disease” — “It sounds like a movie plot – men with dubious intentions, a trove of secret documents, and a red herring to distract people from the truth. But unlike cinema, this story is 100% real-like the dangers of sugar that industry execs tried to hide.”

Ultra-processed Foods, Junk Food, Fake Food, Fast Food, Energy Drinks, Diet Drinks

Definitions

1. Whole Foods / Unprocessed Foods — Food for humans and animals is provided by the Earth. These have come to be called “whole foods” or “unprocessed foods.”
2. Preserved Foods / Processed Foods — When “whole foods are preserved by traditional techniques” such as canning or pickling, these may be called “processed foods.” [source] However, it’s likely that many people will use the term “processed foods” to refer to ultra-processed foods as opposed to the minimal and safe procedures involved in preserving whole foods.
3. Ultra-processed Foods (UPFs) / NOVA Group 4 — Food and drink products that “are industrially manufactured ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat formulations containing food additives and little or no whole foods” are called ultra-processed foods or UPFs. [source] In the NOVA food classification system explained here, UPFs are Group 4.
4. Food Additives — “Any substance not normally consumed as a food in itself and not normally used as a characteristic ingredient of food” is a food additive. Food additives serve “a technological purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, treatment, packaging, transport, or storage of” foods. [source]

Highlights

Ultra-processed Foods: Manufactured, Ready-to-Eat or Ready-to-Heat Formulations. These Industrially Manufactured Foods Have Additives, Contaminants, and a Highly Degraded Structure. They are Detrimental to Health.

Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat formulations containing food additives and little or no whole foods, in contrast to processed foods, which are whole foods preserved by traditional techniques such as canning or pickling…. Processing induces significant changes to the food matrix, for which ultra-processed foods may affect health outcomes differently than unrefined whole foods with similar nutritional composition. Notably, the highly degraded physical structure of ultra-processed foods may affect cardiometabolic health… and the gut microbiota composition and function. Food additives and… contaminants produced during processing may also play a role in risk of cardiovascular disease. Key biological pathways include altered serum lipid concentrations, modified gut microbiota and host–microbiota interactions, obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress, dysglycemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension.” – Published in Advances in Nutrition journal, Sep 2021

Detail on the Composition & Processing of Ultra-Processed Foods

Ultra-processed food and drink products… are industrial formulations typically with five or more and usually many ingredients... Ingredients only found in ultra-processed products include substances not commonly used in culinary preparations, and additives whose purpose is to imitate sensory qualities of [unprocessed] foods… or to disguise undesirable sensory qualities of the final product. [Unprocessed] foods are a small proportion of or are even absent from ultra-processed products. Substances only found in ultra-processed products include some directly extracted from foods, such as casein, lactose, whey, and gluten, and some derived from further processing of food constituents, such as hydrogenated or interesterified oils, hydrolysed proteins, soy protein isolate, maltodextrin, invert sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Classes of additive only found in ultra-processed products include dyes and other colours, colour stabilisers, flavours, flavour enhancers, non-sugar sweeteners, and processing aids such as carbonating, firming, bulking and anti-bulking, de-foaming, anti-caking and glazing agents, emulsifiers, sequestrants and humectants. Several industrial processes with no domestic equivalents are used in the manufacture of ultra-processed products, such as extrusion and moulding, and pre-processing for frying. The main purpose of industrial ultra-processing is to create products that are ready to eat, to drink or to heat, liable to replace both unprocessed or minimally processed foods that are naturally ready to consume, such as fruits and nuts, milk and water, and freshly prepared… meals. Common attributes of ultra-processed products are hyper-palatability, sophisticated and attractive packaging, multi-media and other aggressive marketing to children and adolescents, health claims, high profitability, and branding and ownership by transnational corporations. Examples of typical ultra-processed products are: carbonated drinks; sweet or savoury packaged snacks; ice-cream, chocolate, candies (confectionery); mass-produced packaged breads and buns; margarines and spreads; cookies (biscuits), pastries, cakes, and cake mixes; breakfast ‘cereals’, ‘cereal’ and ‘energy’ bars; ‘energy’ drinks; milk drinks, ‘fruit’ yoghurts and ‘fruit’ drinks; cocoa drinks; meat and chicken extracts and ‘instant’ sauces; infant formulas, follow-on milks, other baby products; ‘health’ and ‘slimming’ products such as powdered or ‘fortified’ meal and dish substitutes; and many ready to heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes; poultry and fish ‘nuggets’ and ‘sticks’, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, and powdered and packaged ‘instant’ soups, noodles and desserts. – NOVA Food Classification

UPFs Have No Health Benefits. They Cause Chronic Diseases and Mental Health Issues.

High ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases and mental health disorders. At present, not a single study reported an association between UPF intake and a beneficial health outcome. – An Umbrella Review & Meta-Analyses of Observational Evidence, June 2024

Anxiety, Depression, Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, Cancers, and Premature Death

A study published in the British Medical Journal finds people who consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods have an increased risk of anxiety, depression, obesity, metabolic syndrome, certain cancers and premature death. The data come from more than 9 million people who participated in dozens of studies. – NPR

Some Key Points

1. Ultra-processed Foods Causes Anxiety, Depression, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Other Chronic Diseases, and Death — A large peer-reviewed meta-analysis of 14 studies published in the British Medical Journal examined the link between ultra-processed foods and adverse health effects. “Significant intake of ultra-processed foods results in increased risk of all-cause mortality… increased risk of heart disease-related death… increase in the risk of most types of cancer… increase in having sleep problems… increase in anxiety… increase in common mental disorders (including depression, OCD, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder), increases in risk for asthma, Crohn’s disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and so on.” More sources: 13-min video, BMJ research report, Lancet (2024) report, AboutLawsuits.com article, The Epoch Times article, Environmental International report, News Medical article
2. Ultra-processed Foods Harm Microbiome Health & Increase the Risk of Cancer — “French researchers reported that emulsifiers added to improve the texture and shelf-life of processed foods wreak havoc on the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation and possibly cancer. Their investigation included 92,000 adults enrolled in the French NutriNet-Santé study and followed for an average of 6.7 years… During the study period, 2,604 cancer cases occurred… Higher intakes of mono- and diglyceride emulsifiers were associated with a higher risk for all cancers… Carrageenan emulsifiers were associated with additional breast cancer risk.”
3. “Junk Food ‘Brainwashes’ You so You’re Wired to Eat More” — “Did you know this food component rewires the brain, changes how you think and negatively affects memory and learning?… Researchers found participants who ate high-fat, high-sugar snacks experienced changes in neural encoded responses so they no longer preferred low-fat, low-sugar snacks and they subconsciously preferred a lot of fat and sugar. Data show bingeing on sugar for just six weeks can slow brain function, memory and learning. One study showed sugar affected the reward system in a “manner similar to that of drugs of abuse.” Eating junk food for one week can impair your appetite control; data also show the more sugar you eat, the lower your nutrient intake. Eliminating sugar is a quick and clear route to better health. Metabolic flexibility is a key to better health; it is also important to avoid industrial vegetable oils or seed oils, margarine, shortening and any fake butter and spreads. Instead, choose from a list of healthy fat foods that include olives, avocados and coconut oil.”
4. As Addictive as Tobacco, Alcohol, Cocaine: Industry Gets Children and Adults Addicted to Fake Food — Food corporations know that chemically engineered products provoke overeating and addiction and harm health, and they capitalize on it to drive sales. U.S. Right to Know link New York Post link The Guardian link Epoch Times link
5. Kids Who Consume Energy Drinks Suffer “Alarming Health Risks” — “New research reveals alarming health risks like heart problems, mental distress, and risky behaviors in kids who consume caffeinated, sugar-laden energy drinks.”
6. Researchers Link Energy Drinks to Suicidal Thoughts in Children — “Energy drinks could pose a risk to young brains, said UK researchers.”
7. Diet Drinks Increase Risk of Heart Condition — “Drinking two liters or more per week of artificially sweetened beverages — the equivalent of a medium-sized fast-food diet soda a day — raised the risk of an irregular heartbeat by 20% when compared to people who drank none, a new study found.”
8. Industrial Foods Lack Nutrients People Need in Their Food — “If you are not consuming nutrient dense foods, and instead rely heavily on processed foods, you are most likely lacking in several nutrients.” [source]
9. Antibiotic and Contraceptive Drugs Found in Fast Food Lab Results — “According to a recently published lab report, food samples from McDonald’s and several other national food chains were found to have detectable levels of animal antibiotics, as well as animal contraceptives. Although the sample size in this particular study was small, it does highlight a much larger issue — the fact that all of these chemicals and drugs that go into our livestock might very well be ending up on our plates.” More Sources: Lab results link Study on additives in animal feed link

Processed Foods, Junk Foods: Sources by Date

1. Jan 17, 2025 — Ultra-processed foods and early death — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
2. Jan 13, 2025 — The What, How, and Why of Ultraprocessed Foods; “Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are having a real moment. Few recent topics in public health and nutrition science have caused such a stir within the research community — and now, in the news, on social media, and in Congress — like these ubiquitous industrial formulations… Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has made UPFs a central focus of his agenda to ‘make America healthy again.’ Earlier in 2024, lawmakers led by Sen. Bernie Sanders… proposed legislation to put warning labels on UPFs, restrict the way they’re marketed to children, and increase funding for scientific research on UPFs and health. It was the first time the use of the term “ultraprocessed food” was recorded in Congress.” — MedPage Today link
3. Jan 13, 2025 — Battle of the Grocery Aisles: How America’s Top Chains Stack Up on Processed Food Options; “The analysis revealed that while Whole Foods typically offers a wider range of minimally processed options, Walmart and Target’s selections in many categories are predominantly ultra-processed. For example, in the cereal aisle, Whole Foods customers can choose from products across the processing spectrum, while Walmart’s options are largely limited to highly processed varieties. The study found particularly concerning patterns in everyday staples like soups, yogurt drinks, and milk alternatives, where some stores offered virtually no minimally processed options. Even more striking, in categories like pizza and popcorn, all three chains primarily stocked highly processed versions… To help consumers navigate these choices, the researchers have made their database publicly accessible through a website called TrueFood.tech. The platform allows users to look up specific products and find less processed alternatives within the same category.” — Massachusetts General Hospital, Science Blog link
4. Jan 13, 2025 — Multiple Violations Found at McDonald’s Onion Supplier After Deadly E.Coli Outbreak; “[There were] dozens of violations at a McDonald’s supplier… including equipment with biofilm and food debris, incomplete sanitation procedures, and improper handling of ready-to-eat produce.” — India Edwards, U.S. News & World Report link
5. Jan 12, 2025 — How Excess Iodine Is Undermining Thyroid Health and What to Do About It; “Modern food production and industry has created widespread iodine overload through multiple sources: iodized animal feed, dairy cleaning practices, processed foods, personal care products and supplements.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
6. Jan 11, 2025 — Americans Are Not Eating ‘Real Food’-Here’s What You Need to Know: Vani Hari — American Thought Leaders, Epoch TV link and 31-min video
7. Jan 8, 2025 — Associations between degree of food processing and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a multicentre prospective cohort analysis in 9 European countries — Esther M. Gonzalez-Bil et al, The Lancet link
8. Jan 6, 2025 — Why Is the American Diet So Deadly? A scientist tried to discredit the theory that ultra-processed foods are killing us. Instead, he overturned his own understanding of obesity. — Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker link
9. Jan 6, 2025 — Sugary beverages contribute to millions of diabetes and heart disease cases — Tufts University, News Medical link
10. Jan 6, 2025 — Sugary Drinks Linked to Millions of New Diabetes and Heart Disease Cases; “Sugary drinks are a major contributor to chronic health issues. A new study from Tufts University in Boston suggests that approximately one in 10 new cases of Type 2 diabetes and one in 30 new cases of cardiovascular disease are linked to sugary drinks.” — Rachel Ann T. Melegrito, The Epoch Times link
11. Dec 20, 2024 — Teenager’s Lawsuit: Taking on the Global Food Giants; “18-year-old Bryce Martinez has taken a stand against some of the world’s largest food corporations. Martinez has filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against 11 major food companies, including household names like Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Kraft Heinz, alleging that their ultra-processed foods (UPFs) led to his development of Type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease at the age of 16.” — Colin Todhunter, Countercurrents.org link
12. Dec 16, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Food Companies Face Legal Scrutiny for Targeting Children — Amy Denney, The Epoch Times link
13. Dec 14, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Hinder Body’s Healing Process, Drive Colorectal Cancer Growth — Rachel Ann T. Melegrito, The Epoch Times link
14. Dec 14, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Hinder Body’s Healing Process, Drive Colorectal Cancer Growth:New research shows how high omega-6 content may contribute to chronic inflammation and colorectal cancer growth through complex cellular mechanisms. — Rachel Ann T. Melegrito, The Epoch Times link
15. Dec 12, 2024 — ‘First-of-its-kind’ Lawsuit Alleges Addictive Ultraproccessed Foods Caused Teen’s Illnesses: A Pennsylvania teenager sued Coca-Cola, Nestlé USA, PepsiCo, General Mills, WK Kellogg Co and six other Big Food companies alleging that ultraprocessed foods engineered to be as addictive as cigarettes caused him to develop fatty liver disease, Type 2 diabetes and other health problems. — Michael Nevradakis PhD, Children’s Health Defense link 
16. Dec 11, 2024 — Lawsuit Accuses Major Food Companies of Marketing ‘Addictive’ Food to Kids — Brendan Pierson, Reuters link 
17. Dec 11, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: increased risk of cancer — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know  link
18. Dec 10, 2024 — Common Foods May Lead to Colon Cancer; “Ultra-processed food might be driving colon cancer risk by fueling inflammation in the body, according to a study…” — Hatty Willmoth, Newsweek link 
19. Dec 10, 2024 — Morgan & Morgan Files Lawsuit over Allegedly Harmful, Addictive Ultra-Processed Foods; “Morgan & Morgan has filed a lawsuit against food industry behemoths Kraft Heinz Company, Mondelēz International, Inc., and others alleging they specifically engineer their ultra-processed food products to be addictive and market those products towards children, allegedly causing chronic disease in children.” — Morgan & Morgan link
20. Dec 9, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF) and Type-2 Diabetes Lawsuit — Rene F. Rocha, Morgan & Morgan, For the People link
21. Dec 6, 2024 — Eating Ultraprocessed Foods Raises Mortality Risks, Especially for Women: A recent study of 27,670 participants linked higher ultraprocessed food consumption was linked to poor cholesterol profiles, showing reduced HDL (good cholesterol) and increased VLDL (bad cholesterol), particularly in older women. — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children’s Health Defense link
22. Dec 6, 2024 — Frequent Ultraprocessed Food Consumption Raises Mortality Risks, Especially in Women — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
23. Dec 4, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to More Fat in Muscles, Osteoarthritis: Study: Research shows that more fat in thigh muscle resulting from a diet high in ultra-processed foods raises knee osteoarthritis risk. —  George Citroner, The Epoch Times link
24. Dec 4, 2024 — What Are Ultra-Processed Foods and Why Do Scientists Say They Cause Fat Thighs? — Martin Bagot, Mirror link 
25. December 2024 — Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with the acceleration of biological aging in the Moli-sani Study — Simona Esposito et al, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition link
26. Nov 27, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Psoriasis Flare-Ups: A new study of more than 18,000 participants highlights the potential influence of diet on inflammatory diseases. — George Citroner, The Epoch Times link
27. Nov 23, 2024 — KFC Drops Pledge to Stop Using ‘Frankenchickens’ in the UK; “The fast food chain KFC has ditched its pledge in the U.K. to improve animal welfare by sourcing its chicken from slower-growing breeds by 2026. Fast-growing meat chickens have been called “Frankenchickens” because of welfare concerns, including higher mortality rates, lameness and muscle disease. More than 1 billion chickens are slaughtered in the U.K. each year for meat. KFC won plaudits in 2019 when it announced it was signing up to the Better Chicken Commitment but now says it will not meet the pledge. Its 2024 annual progress report on chicken welfare reported that just 1% of its chickens were from slower-growing breeds.” — The Guardian link
28. Nov 20, 2024 — Inside the Junk Food Lobby’s Plans to Derail RFK’s Agenda: The plan to block “Make America Healthy Again.” Exclusive inside details from lobbyists representing high fructose corn producers, PepsiCo, and the soda industry. — Lee Fang link 
29. Nov 20, 2024 — Junk Food Lobbyists Mobilize to Prevent Senate Confirmation of RFK Jr.: Dr. McCullough Responds on Fox Business with Elizabeth MacDonald — Nicolas Hulscher MPH link 
30. Nov 16, 2024 — The Babies Addicted to Fast Food —  Dr. Joseph Mercola link
31. Nov 16, 2024 — Ultraprocessed Foods Threaten Children’s Liver Health — Dr. Joseph Mercola link 
32. Nov 13, 2024 — Ultra-processed Foods May Speed Up Aging — And They’re Addictive — Pamela Ferdinand U.S. Right to Know (Children’s Health Defense) link
33. Nov 12, 2024 — ‘A Bleak Picture’: Most Food Sold by Biggest Companies Is Unhealthy; “Two-thirds of the products sold by the 30 biggest food companies in the world are unhealthy, according to a report published… on Thursday. ‘If you go to your supermarket, on average, nearly 70 percent of products you’ll be looking at will be unhealthy, no matter what the labeling says, no matter what the advertising says.'” — Hatty Willmoth, Newsweek link
34. Nov 12, 2024 — Baby Food and Bee Pollen – Two Food Sources That Are Loaded with Pesticides — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
35. Nov 11, 2024 — Scurvy Is Making a Surprising Comeback; “Scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, is making a comeback as people increasingly rely on processed foods due to economic pressures, dietary restrictions and limited access to fresh produce.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
36. Nov 11, 2024 — The Worst Foods for Your Brain: Neurological Implications of the Ultra-Processed Modern Diet — Dr. Austin Perlmutter MD link
37. Nov 8, 2024 — ‘Industry Scandal’: How Big Ag Stripped Our Food of Valuable Nutrients — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children’s Health Defense link
38. Nov 7, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods can speed up biological aging, new study shows — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know link
39. Nov 5, 2024 — High Blood Pressure Is a Growing Problem Among Children and Teens; “Diet plays a crucial role in managing blood pressure. Reducing ultraprocessed foods and optimizing sodium-to-potassium ratio through whole, unprocessed foods help prevent high blood pressure in children.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
40. Oct 31, 2024 — Ultra-processed Foods and Plastics: A Toxic Relationship — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know (Children’s Health Defense) link
41. Oct 28, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods and Plastics: A Marriage Made in Hell — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know link
42. Oct 25, 2024 — Over 70% of Children’s Diets Now Consist of Ultraprocessed Foods — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
43. Oct 24, 2024 — A toxic relationship: ultra-processed foods & plastics — Joe Yates et al, Globalization and Health link
44. Oct 13, 2024 — The association between ultra-processed food consumption and low-grade inflammation in childhood: A cross-sectional study — Burak Mete et al, Nutrition Bulletin link
45. Oct 7, 2024 — Just One Soda a Day May Raise the Risk of Heart Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes: Recent research also ties sugar-sweetened drinks to depression, liver disease, and premature death. — Don Rauf, Everyday Health link
46. Oct 4, 2024 — Ultra-processed food intake in toddlerhood and mid-childhood in the UK: cross sectional and longitudinal perspectives — Rana E. Conway et al, European Journal of Nutrition link
47. Oct 3, 2024 — Rise in Sugary Drinks Consumption Parallels Obesity Epidemic: Global Study — Zrinka Peters, The Epoch Times link
48. Oct 1, 2024 — Eating ultra-processed food may shorten life span among older adults — Harvard Medical School link
49. Sep 30, 2024 — Healthier McDonald’s Options Available in Europe, but Not in the US: As concerns rise over unsafe additives in everyday foods, experts advocate for a reevaluation of safety standards to protect public health. — Cara Michelle Miller, The Epoch Times link
50. Sep 20, 2024 — Ultraprocessed foods may increase your risk for type 2 diabetes, study shows — Madeline Holcombe, CNN link 
51. Sep 19, 2024 — Kids Increase Their Aluminum Intake When They Eat McDonald’s Salt: McDonald’s salt packets don’t just contain salt — they also contain sugar and “sodium silicoaluminate,” an anticaking agent that according to an aluminum toxicity expert, kids shouldn’t eat. —  Suzanne Burdick PhD, Children’s Health Defense link 
52. Sep 19, 2024 — You’ll Never Eat Processed Food Again After Hearing THIS; “In this video, Rhonda discusses: 1) How almost 99% of chemicals introduced to the food supply since the year 2000 were green-lighted by the food & chemical companies rather than properly reviewed by the FDA. 2) How common chemicals found in processed food affect health: Nitrites, Potassium Bromate, Propyl Paraben, Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), Tertiary Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), & Artificial Colors (e.g., Red #40, Yellow #5, Blue #1). 3) Whether “ultra-processed” food is more dangerous than processed food. 4) Why just because something says ‘BPA-free’ doesn’t mean it’s safe.” — Rhonda Patrick PhD 14-min video
53. Sep 18, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
54. Sep 16, 2024 — Did Big Tobacco Create the Processed Food Industry?; “Big Tobacco companies like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds strategically acquired major food companies in the 1980s, dominating the U.S. food system for over 20 years and shaping processed food formulations. Tobacco-owned foods were more likely to be “hyper-palatable,” engineered with specific combinations of fat, sugar, salt and carbohydrates that excessively activate brain reward circuits, leading to addictive-like eating behaviors. While the processed food industry predates Big Tobacco’s involvement, tobacco companies applied their expertise in flavor enhancement and marketing strategies to food products, influencing the broader industry. Tobacco companies also shaped the sugary drinks market, developing and marketing popular children’s beverages like Hawaiian Punch, Kool-Aid and Capri Sun using tactics like cigarette advertising. The tobacco industry’s influence on food formulation and marketing persists today, with researchers arguing that the current food environment is like the unregulated tobacco landscape of the 1950s.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
55. Sep 16, 2024 — Food consumption by degree of food processing and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a prospective cohort analysis of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC); “Over an average [11] years follow-up of 311,892 individuals, 14,236 type 2 diabetes mellitus cases were identified. Each 10% increment of total daily food intake from UPF was associated with 17% higher incident type 2 diabetes mellitus… Replacing UPF with unprocessed/minimally processed food (MPF) + processed culinary ingredients (PCI) or processed food (PF) was associated with lower incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. — Samuel J. Dicken et al, The Lancet link
56. Sep 5, 2024 — Fast Food and Fast Casual Restaurant Packaging and PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ — Report 2023; “Mamavation tested 81 pieces of fast food packaging for PFAS chemicals, finding 35% contained detectable levels. Some brands exceeded California’s 100 ppm limit even after the state’s January 2023 ban. PFAS chemicals in food packaging pose health risks including reduced immunity, hormonal disruption, and increased cancer risk. They can persist in the body for years or decades. Several restaurant chains have committed to phasing out PFAS in packaging, but Mamavation’s testing shows mixed results in actually implementing these changes, especially outside of California…  To reduce PFAS exposure, cook at home more, filter your water, avoid certain cookware and clothing, and choose safer personal care products and household items.” — Mamavation, Mercola.com link
57. Sep 5, 2024 — What are ‘ultra-processed foods’ anyway? Here’s how ‘healthy’ labels may hide their dangers — Malay Mail link 
58. Sep 1, 2024 — Joe Rogan UNLOADS On Time Magazine For Pushing Processed Foods — The Jimmy Dore Show, YouTube 15-min video
59. Aug 29, 2024 — Days after RFK Jr. signaled desire to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ Time issues defense of ultra-processed foods — Joseph MacKinnon, Blaze Media link
60. Aug 28, 2024 — Packaged Food Brands Using Clever Marketing To Draw Kids To Unhealthy Snacks, Says Bite Back — Steve Wynne-Jones, ESM – European Supermarket Magazine link
61. Aug 28, 2024 — High ultra-processed food consumption tied to rising BMI and fat mass in young children — Pooja Toshniwai Paharia, News Medical link
62. Aug 26, 2024 — The dangers of ultra-processed plant-based foods — Rhoda Wilson, The Expose link 
63. Aug 23, 2024 — Baby’s First Junk Food: How Companies Prey on New Parents — Paul Sacca, Blaze Media link
64. Aug 23, 2024 — The Illusion of Choice: Why Won’t They Tell Us the Truth About Lab-Grown Meat?; “[Industry] frames the debate as a fight for consumer freedom to choose lab-grown meat, but the underlying concern is public safety and transparency… The concept of lab-grown meat relies on the flawed notion of bioequivalence, oversimplifying meat as just a few key fats and proteins while ignoring its complex and variable biological composition. Emerging research suggests lab-grown meat may contain unknown compounds with potential long-term health risks. Lab-grown meat companies benefit from lenient regulation on products that are completely new to the food supply. The debate should focus on informed choice, with consumers needing transparency and more rigorous testing before these products are widely accepted.” — Alliance for Natural Health link
65. Aug 15, 2024 — Ditching Ultra-Processed Foods For Family Health, With Dr. Madiha Saeed — Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, YouTube 35-min video
66. Aug 8, 2024 — The Shift to Processed Foods Has Been a Disaster for Human Health–Part 1; “Journalist Charlie Cornish-Dale—also known as Raw Egg Nationalist—[talks] about why we should eat like our ancestors, the damage processed foods have done to the human race, and in what ways we are already well down the road toward a globalist reset of our food supply.” — British Thought Leaders, Epoch TV 44-min video
67. Jul 25, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Are Harming Children: What’s Being Done About It? — Jennifer Sweenie, The Epoch Times link
68. Jul 18, 2024 — Deceptive “copycat” cannabinoid snacks are putting children at risk, US agency warns; “Companies are ‘putting the health of young children at risk’ by illegally selling ‘copycat’ food products that contain THC, the main psychoactive component of cannabis, but packaged to look like well known snack brands, the FDA has warned.” — Elisabeth Mahase, BMJ link
69. Jul 18, 2024 — Calcium Peroxide in Your Wendy’s Classic Burger? The Daily Mail examined the ingredients lists of nine of the “most-loved fast food items” from U.S. restaurant chains, including Chipotle, KFC, Burger King, Wendy’s, Starbucks, Panera Bread, Domino’s, McDonald’s and Chick-fil-A.; “Many foods sold by popular fast food chains in the U.S. contain harmful chemicals and other substances linked to increased health risks.” — Suzanne Burdick PhD, Children’s Health Defense link
70. Jul 17, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 32 Health Risks: The addictive nature and ubiquity of ultra-processed foods make them hard to avoid, but frequent indulgence risks our health. — JoJo Novaes & Ben Lam, The Epoch Times link
71. Jul 13, 2024 — Questions Linger About the Unlisted Substances Used in Processed Foods: Safer and more traditional alternatives exist for some of them. — Flora Zhao, The Epoch Times link
72. Jul 12, 2024 — Health impacts of ultra-processed foods — Natasha Mutebi, UK Parliament Post link
73. Jul 4, 2024 — McDonalds: On Seed Oils and more — Lies are Unbekoming link
74. Jul 1, 2024 — ‘Alarming’ Levels of Toxins Found in Stouffer’s, Other Frozen Meals: Popular brands of ultra-processed frozen foods contain harmful ingredients and contaminants, including seed oils rich in linoleic acid, additives, artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, colorants, bisphenols and phthalates. — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children’s Health Defense link
75. Jun 22, 2024 — Widely Used and Deemed Safe, These Food Additives Are More Harmful Than Thought: More than 73 percent of food is ultra-processed. Some ingredients are ‘generally recognized as safe,’ but research has begun to show that they may not be. — Flora Zhao, The Epoch Times link
76. Jun 11, 2024 — Associations Between Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Adverse Brain Health Outcomes — Varun M. Bhave et al, Neurology link
77. Jun 6, 2024 — The Man Who Warned Us About UPFs: Michael Pollan on His 25-Year Fight With the Food Industry — Zoe Williams, The Guardian link
78. Jun 6, 2024 — Concerning Amounts’ of Lead Found in Organic Kids Snacks From Lesser Evil, Serenity Kids: Report: There is currently no federal limit for lead in most foods, including baby foods. — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
79. June 2024 — Ultra-processed foods and human health: An umbrella review and updated meta-analyses of observational evidence; “High ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases and mental health disorders. At present, not a single study reported an association between UPF intake and a beneficial health outcome.” — Shuhui Dai et al, Clinical Nutrition link
80. May 30, 2024 — How Ultra-Processed Food is Poisoning Our Brains — Dr. Austin Perlmutter MD link
81. May 15, 2024 — Energy drinks can lead to serious heart issues in kids and teens, health experts say — Boston Herald link
82. May 14, 2024 — How Food Giants Get Kids Hooked on Junk Food — and How to Stop Them: Parents are protectors of their children. They have to be especially on guard to protect their children from pervasive direct mass marketing, using influencers, peer groups and abduction of their youngsters into the Internet Gulag. — Ralph Nader, Children’s Health Defense link
83. May 13, 2024 — How Ultraprocessed Foods Are Slowly Killing Us; “In a lecture at The Royal Institute, Chris van Tulleken shared details of how ultraprocessed foods impact human health, tracing a timeline from the mid-1970s when childhood obesity was a mere 2% to the present day, just 50 years later, when it now hovers at 20%… Ultraprocessed food manufacturers propose that obesity is caused by not getting enough exercise or not having enough willpower. Yet, the evidence suggests these theories are invalid and that obesity and other diseases are linked to consuming ultraprocessed foods that may be slowly killing us.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
84. May 9, 2024 — What is ultra-processed food – and is it bad for you? A new study reveals the extent of harmful health effects ultra-processed food can have — Albert Toth, The Independent link
85. May 8, 2024 — Association of ultra-processed food consumption with all cause and cause specific mortality: population based cohort study: Such foods encompass a broad category, including cookies, doughnuts, potato chips, hot dogs, white bread and frozen meals  — Zhe Fhang, et al, The Washington Post link
86. May 8, 2024 — High levels of ultra-processed foods linked with early death, brain issues — Anahad O’Connor, The Washington Post link 
87. May 8, 2024 — Studies of 10 Million People Find Ultra-processed Foods Linked to Serious Health Issues: A comprehensive systematic review of nearly 10 million participants found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was directly associated with increased risk for obesity, heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline and premature death, according to a study published in The BMJ. — Dr. Joseph Mercola, Children’s Health Defense link
88. May 8, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods linked to higher mortality — Kathryn E Bradbury, BMJ link
89. May 6, 2024 — Fake meat: It’s all part of a plan to control the entire food supply — Rhoda Wilson, The Expose link 
90. May 2, 2024 — Study finds social and psychological factors fuel teen cravings for ultra-processed foods during screen time — Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta PhD, News Medical link
91. May 1, 2024 — ‘Unethical’ junk food packaging manipulates children into craving sweets, report claims: Bite Back, a Jamie Oliver campaign group, found the 10 biggest producers reel in young shoppers with attention-grabbing colours and cartoons — Jamie Oliver, The Guardian link
92. Apr 28, 2024 — Beyond Lead: A Pediatrician’s Concerns With ‘Lunchables’ and School Lunch Standards: Ultraprocessed foods are the real villains in the deteriorating health of our nation’s children. — Joel Warsh, The Epoch Times link
93. Apr 27, 2024 — Study Review Shows Dozens of Health Problems From Ultraprocessed Food — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
94. Apr 25, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods increase risk of cardiovascular disease — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
95. Apr 23, 2024 — Big Junk Food’s Campaign to Get You Eating Doritos and Oreos for Dinner — Deena Shanker, Bloomberg link 
96. Apr 22, 2024 — Children Eating Junk Foods Could Suffer Memory Impairment: Study; ‘Early life diet can have critical, long-lasting effects on neural function—independently of obesity,’ researchers said in a study of rats fed unhealthy food. — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
97. Apr 21, 2024 — “They’re Doing WHAT To Our Children’s Food?!!” This Is NOT GOOD; “Lunchables have concerning levels of lead and sodium in them, as you subsidise its Big Food manufacturer, Kraft, with your taxes.” — Russell Brand, YouTube 7-min video
98. Apr 14, 2024 — Arthritis, Joint Pain from SUGAR & Junk Food: Harvard Doctor Tells All: Dr. Amy West MD; “Metabolic health is the real driver of joint pain, tendon issues and more” — High Intensity Health, YouTube 16-min video
99. Apr 9, 2024 — Lunchables found to contain relatively high lead levels — Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill link
100. Apr 8, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods linked to higher glaucoma risk, study warns — Pooja Toshniwal Paharia, News Medical link 
101. Apr 4, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
102. Apr 4, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: increased risk of depression and anxiety — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
103. Mar 21, 2024 — 5 Toxic Foods You Should Cut Out of Your Diet Right Now: Ultra-processed foods are everywhere, and they come with some serious health risks. — The Vigilant Fox link
104. Mar 20, 2024 — 6 Popular Ultra-Processed Foods to Immediately Stop Eating — Facts Matter, Epoch TV link and 13-min video
105. Mar 19, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
106. Mar 18, 2024 — Diet drinks may boost risk of dangerous heart condition by 20%, study says — Sandee LaMotte, CNN link
107. Mar 12, 2024 — Junk food addiction is real, experts say — here are the signs of ‘ultra-processed food use disorder’ — Brooke Steinberg, New York Post link
108. Mar 6, 2024 — Why the double standards on ultra-processed foods? Because some have better PR than others: The growing evidence on UPFs merits sober discussion, but products marketed with a halo of ‘health’ are avoiding scrutiny — Giles Yeo, The Guardian link 
109. Mar 1, 2024 — As Addictive as Cigarettes and Cocaine: How Big Food Hooks Consumers on Junk Food; A growing body of research suggests big food brands are not only aware their chemically engineered products provoke overeating and addiction — they capitalize on it to drive sales, consciously harming health — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know (Children’s Health Defense) link
110. March 2024 — A high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher total mortality in an adult Mediterranean population — Laura Torres-Collado, et al, Clinical Nutrition link
111. March 2024 — Associations of dietary intake and longitudinal measures of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in predominantly Hispanic young Adults: A multicohort study; “Beverage consumption habits and food preparation are associated with differences in PFAS levels in young adults. This highlights the importance of diet in determining PFAS exposure.” — Hailey E. Hampson et al, Environment International link
112. March 2024 — Ultra-processed food consumption and risk of cardiovascular events: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis — Yang Qu et al, eClinicalMedicine (The Lancet) link
113. Feb 29, 2024 — Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 32 Health Problems in Review: What to Know — Rachel Pannett, The Washington Post link
114. Feb 28, 2024 — Ultra-processed food linked to 32 harmful effects to health, review finds: World’s largest review finds direct associations with higher risks of cancer, heart disease and early death — Andrew Gregory, The Guardian link
115. Feb 28, 2024 — Some ultra-processed foods are as addictive as cigarettes and cocaine — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
116. Feb 28, 2024 — Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses — Melissa M. Lane et al, BMJ link
117. Feb 25, 2024 — Like cigarettes, junk food should come with a warning: ‘Can kill’: Only regulation will stop fast food firms churning out products we are evolutionarily hardwired to find it difficult to resist — Martha Gill, The Guardian link
118. Feb 22, 2024 —Processed Foods Linked to ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Human Blood: Study; Consuming foods rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, and grains helps in reducing chemical concentrations, the research suggested. — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
119. Feb 22, 2024 — Study Finds Link Between Ultra-Processed Food and Potentially Fatal Heart Problems: The findings come amid increasing concerns over the health effects of ultra-processed foods, which make up an increasing percentage of diets in the U.S., particularly among teens. — Martha Garcia, About Lawsuits link
120. Feb 20, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: A growing threat to public health — Florida Atlantic University, News Medical link
121. Feb 15, 2024 — Energy Drinks Linked to List of Conditions in Kids: Study; New research reveals alarming health risks like heart problems, mental distress, and risky behaviors in kids who consume caffeinated, sugar-laden energy drinks. — George Citroner, The Epoch Times link
122. Feb 15, 2024 — I am writing to urge the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require corporations in the food and beverage industry to put strong warning labels on the products they sell that are high in sugar, salt and saturated fats. — Bernard Sanders, U.S. Senate link
123. Feb 13, 2024 — Food additive emulsifiers and cancer risk: Results from the French prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort; “Emulsifiers are widely used food additives in industrially processed foods to improve texture and enhance shelf-life. Experimental research suggests deleterious effects of emulsifiers on the intestinal microbiota and the metabolome, leading to chronic inflammation and increasing susceptibility to [creation of cancer cells].” — Laury Sellem et al, PLOS link
124. Feb 9, 2024 — Big, Bold Warning Labels Can Steer People Away From Junk Food: The U.S. could follow the example of Chile, whose aggressive effort has gotten impressive results — Lindsey Smith Taillie, The Wall Street Journal link
125. Feb 1, 2024 — Warning Issued After Researchers Link Energy Drinks to Suicidal Thoughts in Children: Energy drinks could pose a risk to young brains, said UK researchers. — Jack Phillips, The Epoch Times link
126. Feb 1, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods and early death  — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right To Know link
127. Feb 1, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods tied to cancer, diabetes, dementia, depression, early death, and more — Mikael Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
128. Feb 1, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: increased risk of cancer — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
129. Feb 1, 2024 — Ultra-processed foods: obesity and weight gain — Mikaela Conley, U.S. Right to Know link
130. Jan 24, 2024 — Surprise! Everything You’ve Been Told About Salt Is Wrong; “The vast majority, approximately 71%, of your salt intake comes from processed food Hence, if you avoid processed foods, you have virtually no risk of consuming too much salt.” [Originally published May 29, 2017] — Dr. Joseph Mercola link  
131. Jan 23, 2024 — Nutritional Criminology: Why the Emerging Research on Ultra-Processed Food Matters to Health and Justice; “Higher ultra-processed food consumption is associated with multiple forms of harm, including those related to mental health and behavior.” — Susan L. Prescott et al, International Journal of Environmetnal Research and Public Health link
132. Jan 19, 2024 — Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses; “Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality…” — Melissa M. Lane et al, BMJ link
133. Jan 6, 2024 — Ultra-Processed and Fast Food Consumption, Exposure to Phthalates During Pregnancy, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Phthalate Exposures — Brennan H. Baker et al, Environment International, Science Direct link
134. 2024 — Soda Science: Making the World Safe for Coca-Cola Takes readers deep inside the secret world of corporate science, where powerful companies and allied academic scientists mold research to meet industry needs.; “The 1990s were tough times for the soda industry. In the United States, obesity rates were exploding. Public health critics pointed to sugary soda as a main culprit and advocated for soda taxes that might decrease the consumption of sweetened beverages—and threaten the revenues of the giant soda companies. Soda Science tells the story of how industry leader Coca-Cola mobilized allies in academia to create a soda-defense science that would protect profits by advocating exercise, not dietary restraint, as the priority solution to obesity, a view few experts accept. Anthropologist and science studies specialist Susan Greenhalgh discovers a hidden world of science-making—with distinctive organizations, social networks, knowledge-making practices, and ethical claims—dedicated to creating industry-friendly science and keeping it under wraps. By tracing the birth, maturation, death, and afterlife of the science they made, Greenhalgh shows how corporate science has managed to gain such a hold over our lives.” — Susan Greenhalgh book
135. Dec 29, 2023 — More than half the calories Americans eat come from ultra-processed foods that bring big profits to food corporations – but at great cost to our health. — U.S. Right to Know link
136. Dec 14, 2023 — Bernie Sanders: We can’t allow the food and beverage industry to destroy our kids’ health — Sen. Bernie Sanders, USA Today link
137. Dec 13, 2023 — Here’s Why You’re Addicted to Ultra-Processed Food | Chris van Tulleken — Tedx Talks (YouTube) 15-min video
138. Nov 25, 2023 — Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Higher Risk of Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes: Study; The findings were a cause of concern as ultra-processed foods make up over half of people’s daily food intake, said the study author. — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
139. Nov 21, 2023 — Ultraprocessed foods now account for two-thirds of calories in the diets of children and teens; “Children and teens in the United States now get more than two-thirds of their calories from ultraprocessed foods, an analysis of almost two decades worth of data has found. Ultraprocessed foods – such as frozen pizza, microwave meals, packaged snacks and desserts – accounted for 67% of calories consumed in 2018, up from 61% in 1999.” — Katie Hunt, CNN link
140. Nov 2, 2023 — Ultra-Processed Food as Addictive as Alcohol and Tobacco, Especially in Children: Ultra-processed foods hold a hidden addiction, affecting health and strategically targeting children through industry tactics. — Sheramy Tsai, The Epoch Times link
141. Oct 26, 2023 — The harsh reality of ultra processed food – with Chris Van Tulleken — The Royal Institution (YouTube) 58-min video
142. Oct 13, 2023 — Traces of Contraceptive Drugs Found in Fast Food Lab Results — Facts Matter, Epoch TV link and 9-min video
143. Oct 4, 2023 — Why Synthetic Food Is Very Dangerous; “An estimated 99% of the components making up whole food are a complete mystery. The USDA details 188 nutritional components of food, including 38 flavonoids, yet scientists estimate there are more than 26,000 different biochemicals in our food. We know even less about the constituents of processed foods and synthetic foods, which falsely claim to be ‘equivalents’ to whole foods, such as ‘animal-free meats’… A paper published in the April 2023 warns that cultured products are not nutritionally equivalent to the meats they’re intended to replace. A May 2023 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization concluded there are at least 53 potential health hazards associated with lab-grown meat, including the possibility of contamination with heavy metals, microplastics, nanoplastics and chemicals, allergenic additives, toxic components, antibiotics and prions.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
144. Aug 28, 2023 — Ultra-processed food may cause ‘tidal wave of harm’ including stroke and heart attack risk: Lowest risk found at less than 15 per cent of ultra-processed food consumption out of calorie intake per day — Vishwam Sankaran, The Independent link
145. Jul 13, 2023 — The False Promise of Lab-Grown Meat; “As much as the food industry doesn’t want you to know this, the process of creating lab-grown meat relies on ‘genetic engineering’ or GE. While the NIH wants us to restrict the GE term to ‘laboratory-based technologies [that] alter the DNA makeup of an organism,’ we believe it should be just as applicable to gene-editing techniques that involve the deliberate alteration of the genetic makeup of pluripotent cells like stem cells.” — Alliance for Natural Health link
146. Apr 20, 2023 — Junk Food ‘Brainwashes’ You so You’re Wired to Eat More; “Researchers found participants who ate high-fat, high-sugar snacks experienced changes in neural encoded responses so they no longer preferred low-fat, low-sugar snacks and they subconsciously preferred a lot of fat and sugar. Data show bingeing on sugar for just six weeks can slow brain function, memory and learning. One study showed sugar affected the reward system in a ‘manner similar to that of drugs of abuse.’ Eating junk food for one week can impair your appetite control; data also show the more sugar you eat, the lower your nutrient intake.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
147. Feb 10, 2023 — Ultra-processed foods increase the risk of cancer; “This study found that higher consumption of ultra-processed foods—including breakfast cereals like Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs—leads to a greater risk of developing and dying from cancer. This should surprise … exactly nobody. Ultra-processed foods are high in additives, flour, sugar, and other harmful ingredients and often nearly devoid of the nutrients we need for optimal health and longevity.” — Chris Kresser link
148. Feb 6, 2023 — NOVA Food Classification — Anne Maher, The Urban Co-op link
149. Jan 31, 2023 — Ultra-processed food consumption, cancer risk and cancer mortality: a large-scale prospective analysis within the UK Biobank; “The mean ultra-processed foods (UPFs) consumption was 22.9% in the total diet. During a median follow-up time of 9.8 years, 15,921 individuals developed cancer and 4009 cancer-related deaths occurred. Every 10 percentage points increment in UPF consumption was associated with an increased incidence of… cancer. Furthermore, every 10 percentage points increment in UPF consumption was associated with an increased risk of… cancer-related mortality.” — Kiara Chang et al, eClinicalMedicine (The Lancet) link
150. Nov 14, 2022 — Ultra-Processed Foods and Drinks Consumption Is Associated with Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescents — Marta Reales-Moreno et al, Nutrients link
151. September 2021 — Ultra-processed Foods and Cardiovascular Diseases: Potential Mechanisms of Action; “Ultra-processed foods are industrially manufactured ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat formulations containing food additives and little or no whole foods, in contrast to processed foods, which are whole foods preserved by traditional techniques such as canning or pickling…. Higher consumption of ultra-processed food is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD)… Processing induces significant changes to the food matrix, for which ultra-processed foods may affect health outcomes differently than unrefined whole foods with similar nutritional composition. Notably, the highly degraded physical structure of ultra-processed foods may affect cardiometabolic health by influencing absorption kinetics, satiety, glycemic response, and the gut microbiota composition and function. Food additives and neo-formed contaminants produced during processing may also play a role in CVD risk. Key biological pathways include altered serum lipid concentrations, modified gut microbiota and host–microbiota interactions, obesity, inflammation, oxidative stress, dysglycemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension.” — Flippa Juul et al, Advances in Nutrition link
152. Aug 28, 2021 — Ultra-Processed Food is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease; “Weekly consumption of ultra-processed food is linked with an increased risk of heart disease… Ultra-processed food refers to a wide range of products such as mass produced bread, ready meals, fast foods, sweets and desserts, salty snacks, breakfast cereals, reconstituted meat including chicken and fish nuggets, instant noodles and soups, tinned vegetables with added salt, sugar-coated dried fruit, sodas and sweetened beverages.” — Sophia Antipolis, European Society of Cardiology link
153. Aug 10, 2021 — Trends in Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods Among US Youths Aged 2-19 Years, 1999-2018; “From 1999-2000 to 2017-2018, the estimated percentage of total energy from consumption of ultraprocessed foods significantly increased from 61.4% to 67.0%.” — Lu Wang PhD, MPH et al, JAMA link
154. Aug 1, 2022 — Eating lots of highly processed food is linked to faster cognitive decline, research finds: In a study, adults who ate more processed food saw a 25% faster decline in their ability to plan and execute a task than people whose diets did not contain much processed food. — Aria Bendix, NBC News link
155. Jul 19, 2021 — Ultra-processed diet, systemic oxidative stress, and breach of immunologic tolerance — E. Martínez Leo PhD et al, Nutrition link
156. Jun 14, 2021 — Urgent action needed to reduce harm of ultra-processed foods to British children — Genevieve Timmins & Ryan O’Hare, Imperial link
157. Oct 23, 2019 — Ultraprocessed foods: US vs. UK; “Vani Hari, a.k.a. The Food Babe, is interested in getting rid of artificial food additives. She asks an interesting question. If American companies can eliminate them for sales in Britain, why can’t they do that here? She has put together lots of surprising examples. Here is just one.” — Marion Nestle, Food Politics link
158. Sep 25, 2019 — Lab-grown meat versus agro-ecological farming; “‘Civilized man is the only animal clever enough to manufacture its own food, and the only animal stupid enough to eat it.'” — Alliance for Natural Health link
159. May 11, 2019 — Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017; “In 2017, 11 million deaths and 255 million disability-adjusted life-years were attributable to dietary risk factors… This study provides a comprehensive picture of the potential impact of suboptimal diet on on-communicable disease mortality and morbidity, highlighting the need for improving diet across nations.” — Ashkan Afshin et al, The Lancet link
160. Oct 10, 2018 — French National Assembly issues tough report on ultraprocessed foods — Marion Nestle, Food Politics link
161. Feb 21, 2018 — Ultra-processed food dangers – why we need to cook more from scratch: Avoid ultra-processed foods before you live to regret it — Alliance for Natural Health link
162. Dec 7, 2017 — The French food industry v. public health: front-of-package label; “The French government’s decision on October 31 to support voluntary adoption of a “Nutri-Score” front-of-package label is now under attack by the food industry.” — Marion Nestle, Food Politics link
163. January-March 2016 — The Food System: Food Classification. Public Health NOVA; “The NOVA classification outlined below groups foods according to the extent and purpose of the processing they undergo. Food processing as identified by NOVA involves physical, biological and chemical processes that occur after foods are separated from nature, and before they are consumed or used in the preparation of dishes and meals… NOVA classifies all foods and food products… into the following four groups. Group 1 Unprocessed or minimally processed foods… Group 2 Processed culinary ingredients… Group 3 Processed foods… Group 4 Ultra-processed food and drink products.” — Carlos A. Monteiro et al, University of Sao Paulo (World Nutrition) link
164. June 2015 — Changes in intestinal tight junction permeability associated with industrial food additives explain the rising incidence of autoimmune disease — Aaron Lerner & Torsten Matthias, Autoimmunity Reviews link
165. December 2005 — Adverse reactions to food additives; “A large number of food additives are widely used in the food industry…. It is… prudent to investigate food additives in patients considered to have idiopathic reactions… Oral challenge testing with common additives, preferably preceded by a trial of an additive-free diet, is the definitive procedure for detecting the offending agent. Once the specific additive is identified, management is basically avoidance of all its forms.” — Brian G Wilson & Sami L Bahna, Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology link
166. No Date — Shelf Life vs. Your Life; “Is the food you’re eating eventually going to rot? The longer the shelf life, the shorter your life.” — Brian Johnson, Heroic link

More Toxic Contamination of Foods

1. Jan 16, 2025 — Why High-Fructose Corn Syrup Must Be Removed from Our Food — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
2. Jan 15, 2025 — Tallow and Beef Suet Tested for Toxic Phthalates; “A laboratory study of 13 tallow and beef suet products found that 62% contained phthalates, which are hormone-disrupting chemicals commonly found in plastics and fragrances. Raw beef suet showed no detectable phthalates, while products designated for personal care, including Bello Tallow and Traditional Nutrients Tallow, also tested free of contamination. The FDA currently allows 25 plasticizers as ‘indirect food additives’ in food manufacturing processes, despite some being restricted in children’s toys by other regulatory agencies.” — Mamavation, Mercola.com link
3. Jan 14, 2025 — USDA Documented Insects and Slime at Boar’s Head Plants, Records Show; “Reports from Boar’s Head plants… described multiple instances of meat and fat residue left on equipment and walls, dripping condensation falling on food, mold, insects and other problems dating back roughly six years. Last May, one inspector documented ‘general filth’ in a room at the Indiana plant.” — The Associated Press, NBC News link
4. Jan 11, 2025 — Are Your Protein Shakes Hiding Harmful Toxins?; “Recent findings highlight significant health concerns tied to protein powders, with a Clean Label Project investigation revealing heavy metal contamination in many products… Look for certifications like NSF Certified for Sport and avoid products with unnecessary artificial ingredients. By making informed decisions and prioritizing whole foods, consumers can safely incorporate protein powders into a balanced and healthy lifestyle.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
5. Jan 10, 2025 — Popular Seafood Contaminated With Microplastics That Leach From Common Household Products: Researchers found that tiny particles from our laundry, food packaging, tires, personal care products and other items end up in West Coast seafood we commonly eat — Pamela Ferdinand, U.S. Right to Know (Children’s Health Defense) link
6. Jan 7, 2025 — Environmental Groups Sue FDA over Refusal to Tackle Risky Plastic Packaging: Agency has either ignored petitions or ruled against taking action against chemical that presents serious health risks — Tom Perkins, The Guardian link
7. Dec 27, 2024 — Danger in the Dough: Unveiling the Toxic Contaminants in Girl Scout Cookies; “Consumer groups, GMOScience, Moms Across America, and supporters have commissioned the testing of Girl Scout cookies for toxic metals and glyphosate/AMPA (an herbicide and its byproduct)… 100% of the samples were positive for glyphosate. 100% were positive for toxic metals.” — Dr. Michelle Perro MD et al, GMO Science link
8. Nov 26, 2024 — Alarming Levels of Heavy Metals and Pesticides Found in US School Lunches — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
9. Nov 16, 2024 — Low Level Chronic Glyphosate Harms in Fetal Development and Reproductive Toxicity: 45 scientific papers to encourage you to stop buying conventional foods — Dr. Robert W. Malone MD link
10. Nov 12, 2024 — Over 20 Chemicals Used to Grow Food Linked to Prostate Cancer — The New Lede, Children’s Health Defense link
11. Nov 4, 2024 — Protestors Target Kellogg’s Over Cereal Dyes — Natasha Hobley, The Vaccine Reaction link
12. Oct 30, 2024 — Are Your Spices Filled with Heavy Metals, Lead, Arsenic and Cadmium? Consumer Reports tested 126 spice products for heavy metals, finding one-third had concerning levels of arsenic, lead and cadmium. Organic status didn’t predict safety, and thyme and oregano were consistently problematic. Heavy metals in spices can be particularly dangerous for children, affecting brain development and increasing health risks. Adults may experience reproductive problems, hypertension and decreased immune function.” — Mamavation, Mercola link
13. Sep 24, 2024 — Almost 200 Chemicals Linked to Breast Cancer Are Found in Food Packaging — Dennis Thompson, Health Day link
14. Oct 24, 2024 — Salmon Farming Is Wiping Out Wild Fish and Damaging Our Environment: Nick Measham — British Thought Leaders, Epoch TV 30-min video
15. Oct 18, 2024 —“Bought off doctors” defend toxic dyes in Froot Loops: So where is the FDA in all this? — Anne Dachel link
16. Oct 18, 2024 — 200-Plus Schools Received Food Likely Contaminated With Listeria Bacteria: FSIS — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
17. Oct 9, 2024 — School lunch tests reveal dozens of pesticides on single items, heavy metals, other toxins — Lisa Fletcher, et al, NBC15 News link
18. Sep 24, 2024 — Runaway Pesticide Toxicity of Food Supply Shows Generational EPA Failure — Jefferey Jaxen link
19. Sep 24, 2024 — Double standards, double risk: Banned pesticides in Europe’s food supply — Pesticide Action Network Europe link
20. Sep 23, 2024 — Potential mammary carcinogens used in food contact articles: implications for policy, enforcement, and prevention; “76 potential mammary carcinogens have been detected to migrate from food contact materials sold in markets across the globe.” — Lindsey V. Parkinson, et al, Frontiers in Toxicology link
21. Sep 18, 2024 — Toxic Pesticides Found in Target’s Baby Food — Friends of the Earth link
22. Sep 10, 2024 — Dirty Dozen 2024 Exposes Scary Fungicide Risks in Popular Produce; “The Environmental Working Group (EWG)… highlights the 12 non-organic fruits and vegetables with the highest levels of pesticide residues — with a frightening new reason to avoid pesticide-laden conventionally grown produce — fungicides.” — Leigh Smith, Organic Authority link
23. Sep 10, 2024 — ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Your Sparkling Water: Is It Safe to Drink? — Jill Ettinger, Organic Authority link
24. Jul 31, 2024 — Surprise! Foods you’d never guess contain artificial food dye — Ketura Persellin, EWG link
25. Jul 26, 2024 — Most Sea Salt Contains Plastic Fragments; “My favorite salt choice is Himalayan salt as the salt bed was produced thousands of years before plastics and toxins made their way into the environment; it may be the last source of salt uncontaminated by plastics.” [originally published Oct 4, 2017] — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
26. Jun 10, 2024 — Gluten-Free Food Test Results; “44 out of 46 of the samples came back positive for glyphosate. We had hoped to find that gluten-free foods that were also organic would be free of glyphosate and pesticides. They were not. The prevalence of glyphosate and agrochemicals in our food supply, even in organic and even in foods made for people with ADA recognized disability, such as Celiac disease, is disturbing for many reasons. This contamination is avoidable. As the EU has done, all our policymakers need to do is disallow the spraying of glyphosate and other agrochemicals as a drying agent on crops. The result would be that 80% of our exposure to glyphosate would be eliminated from food consumption. We urge.. better regulation of the food supply.” — Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America link
27. Apr 19, 2024 — Study finds high microplastic levels in Mediterranean fish despite low chemical contaminants; “In a recent study published in the journal Foods, researchers from Italy, Albania, and Montenegro conducted biomonitoring campaigns on fish and cephalopod species in the Mediterranean Sea to assess contamination levels of cadmium, microplastics, and antibiotics. They found negligible contamination by cadmium and antibiotics but high levels of microplastics in the stomach and gut of Sparus aurata (Gilt-head bream) and Dicentrarchus labrax (European seabass).” — Dr. Sushama R. Caphalkar PhD, News Medical link
28. Apr 9, 2024 — Do We Really Want a Food Cartel? Mergers and acquisitions have created food oligopolies that are inefficient, barely regulated, unfair, and even dangerous. — Eric Schlosser, The Atlantic link
29. Apr 9, 2024 — More Microplastics Are Showing Up in Our Food; “Recent news from a study led by Madeleine Milne with Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto showed that 90 percent of the items that they tested, items we find in our fridges and grocery stores—from burgers and steaks to chicken and even plant-based foods—contain those seemingly ubiquitous tiny particles of plastics, often referred to as microplastics.” — Michael Rennie, Newsweek link
30. Mar 22, 2024 — Abnormal Levels of Toxins Found in General Mills ‘LOADED’ Cereal: Report; “Trix LOADED cereal is literally loaded with high levels of heavy metals and agrochemicals… Testing by Moms Across America (MAA) found the artificially flavored creme-filled breakfast food contains measurable levels of aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead, glyphosate, and pesticides shown to be harmful to humans.” — Megan Redshaw, The Epoch Times link
31. Feb 23, 2024 — “Concerning” Level of Plastic Chemicals in Food – Even Organics — Alliance for Natural Health link
32. Feb 22, 2024 — Pesticide Linked to Reproductive Issues Found in Cheerios, Quaker Oats, and Other Oat-based Foods — Patricia Harrity, The Expose link
33. Feb 20, 2024 — Forever Chemicals Found in 88% of Kale Tested; “Conventionally grown and organic kale may be contaminated with toxic PFAS. Out of eight kale samples purchased in four U.S. states, only one had no detectable PFAS. The highest level of total PFAS was found in conventionally grown kale purchased in a Georgia Publix store. Overall, PFAS levels were higher in organic kale samples than conventional samples… Concerning levels of PFAS have also been found in peanut butter, pasta sauce, freshwater fish, cooking oil and many other consumer goods.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
34. Feb 16, 2024 — 80% of Americans Positive For Dangerous Chemical Found in Cheerios, Linked To Infertility: Study; “[The video covers] a new report connecting a chemical on oat-based products [chlormequat] with infertility and other health issues.” — The Hill 9-min video
35. Feb 6, 2024 — Teabags and Processed Meats May Be Key Dietary Sources of PFAS — Leo Bear-McGuinness, Technology Networks link
36. Jan 22, 2024 — The Dubious Strategies of the Artificial Sweetener Companies: Critics warn consumers to be on the lookout for ways the artificial sweetener industry bends advertising rules to reach a growing market. — Amy Denney, The Epoch Times link
37. Jan 9, 2024 — Now Scientists Find 90% of all Burgers, Steaks, Chicken and Plant-Based Foods Contain Cancer-Causing Microplastics — Nikki Main, Daily Mail link
38. Jan 8, 2024 — It’s Not Just Seafood: New Study Finds Microplastics in Nearly 90% of Proteins Sampled, Including Plant-Based Meat Alternatives — Dr. Chelsea Rochma, Ocean Conservancy link
39. Jan 6, 2024 — Plastic Chemicals Causing Infertility, Diabetes Found ‘Widespread’ in Common Food Items: Report; “Many of the foods consumed by Americans are contaminated with harmful plastic chemicals that contribute to health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and infertility, according to a recent report by the nonprofit group Consumer Reports… Researchers examined the foods for the presence of plasticizers—a chemical used to boost the durability of plastics… They found that these chemicals remained ‘widespread’ in our food products despite ‘growing evidence’ of health risks… 79 percent of tested samples had bisphenols, while 84 out of 85 items had phthalates.” — Naveen Athrappully, The Epoch Times link
40. Jan 4, 2024 — The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food; “Plasticizers—the most common of which are called phthalates—show up inside almost all of us, right along with other chemicals found in plastic, including bisphenols such as BPA. These have been linked to a long list of health concerns, even at very low levels.” — Lauren F. Friedman, Consumer Reports link
41. Oct 12, 2023 — 100% of Fast Food Samples Tested Positive for Heavy Metals, Lead, and Cadmium — Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America link
42. Sep 7, 2023 — The Mechanisms of Plastic Food-Packaging Monomers’ Migration into Food Matrix and the Implications on Human Health — Celia Muzeza et al, Foods (PubMed) link
43. Mar 26, 2023 — Testing Shows Substantial Glyphosate in Foods and Population — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
44. Mar 25, 2023 — Is This Why Strawberries Don’t Taste Good Anymore? “Farming practices on conventional farms are highly reliant on pesticides, fungicides and herbicides to protect commonly planted monocrops. A 2023 study offers insight into why you may have noticed a difference in the flavor and sweetness of your store-bought strawberries. Data revealed two commonly used fungicides dramatically reduced the fruit’s soluble sugars, nutrients, flavor and aroma. As the paper demonstrated, organically grown heirloom varieties have better flavor and greater nutrition. Traditional farming practices are under threat. While globalists are buying premium farmland that is not being used for organic, biodynamic or regenerative farming practices, the federal government has been keeping under a microscope since 2015 Amos Miller’s organic farm, where produce is grown without pesticides, GMOs, gasoline or fertilizer. Regenerative farming practices help protect the land and human health but do not support the financial gain of the food industry. As more people recognize the need to steer clear of pesticides, the demand for organic seeds has grown. Take care to purchase organic seeds harvested from organically grown plants.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
45. Sep 29, 2022 — Breaking News: 95% of School Lunches Test Positive for Glyphosate: How do we get this poison out of the food supply? — Jennifer Margulis link
46. May 10, 2021 — Synthetic Dyes in Popular Kids’ Foods Linked to Hyperactivity, Learning Disorders; “Synthetic dyes used as colorants in many common foods and drinks can negatively affect attention and activity in children, according to a comprehensive review of existing evidence published this month.” — Nate Seltenrich, Children’s Health Defense link
47. May 14, 2019 — The Weed-Killing Chemical involved in a Monsanto Lawsuit was found in Cheerios and Quaker Oats Products. — Aria Bendix, Business Insider link

Videos

FDA, EPA, FSA, Industry Groups: Corrupted

The organizations entrusted to protect people and the food supply have betrayed that trust. As documented below, they have instead:

1. Allowed industrial producers to dominate the food system with unnatural food products that cause chronic diseases and mental health issues. [source and source and source and source and source]
2. Fail to protect sources of food from multiple known harms including phthalates which cause a litany of disease … BPA, linked to heart disease and other serious harms… synthetic food dyes that cause neurobehavioral disorders, respiratory issues, and developmental delays… neurotoxins sold as artificial sweeteners, which also cause cancer, and pesticides such as glyphosate, atrazine, paraquat, and CFS that cause cancer as well as brain damage, decreased IQ, and autism in children among other harms. In 2021, after 30 years of delays, the FDA banned a cancer-causing red dye in cosmetics, but didn’t stop it from being used in food. In 2024, 100% of Girl Scout cookies tested positive for glyphosate, plus toxic metals such as cadmium and lead.
3. Stood by while industry created food products that promote addictions to harmful substances, using brain chemistry hacks and corporate marketing power to target even children and teens with adulterated, contaminated foods that cause great harm. [source and source and source and source and source and source and source and source]
4. Authorized and promoted unscientific and corrupt dietary guidelines… committees…“experts” and protocols.
5. Worked to silence independent professionals who question industry-approved narratives. [source]

“Crony Capitalism” (Corruption) Defines the American Food System

The fact that the food industry and the agency responsibility for regulating that industry are in lockstep when it comes to defending a possible carcinogen that millions of Americans are consuming every day is yet another example of the crony capitalism that is threatening our health and the health of our children. – Alliance for Natural Health

1. FDA Took No Action on Toxic Metals & Uranium in Infant Formula — “Two out of the four formulas subjected to testing by the FDA yielded concerning results, showing the presence of toxic metals and even radioactive uranium. Despite these alarming findings, no discernible actions were taken by the FDA in response to this critical issue.
2. Corn Syrup is in Infant Formula, and that’s Okay with the FDA — “Major formula companies use corn syrup… Research links corn syrup formula to negative effects on gut bacteria that, according to studies, can contribute to childhood obesity, food fussiness, and diminished food satisfaction… Unlike U.S. companies, formula makers in countries in the European Union (EU) are prohibited from replacing lactose with corn syrup.”
3. Known Risks Associated With Genetically Engineered Foods Ignored By The FDA — “By slipping it into our food without our knowledge, without any indication that there are genetically modified organisms in our food, we are now unwittingly part of a massive experiment. . . . Essentially, the FDA has said that genetically modified organisms, or food, are basically not much different from regular food, and so they’ll be treated in the same way. The problem is this: Geneticists follow the inheritance of genes, in what we call a vertical fashion . . . [but] what biotechnology allows us to do is to take this organism, and move it, what we call horizontally, into a totally unrelated species.”
4. FDA Allows Plasticizers in Food Manufacturing Processes — “The FDA allows 25 plasticizers as ‘indirect food additives’ in food manufacturing processes, despite some being restricted in children’s toys by other regulatory agencies.” See the litany of known harms from plastics: Toxins & Evidence of Harm: EDCs and Microplastics
5. FDA Sued for Not Doing What it’s Been Entrusted & Paid to Do — “Environmental groups sue FDA over refusal to tackle… plastic packaging [issues]. The agency has either ignored petitions or ruled against taking action against chemical that presents serious health risks.”
6. Government & Non-Governmental Organizations Entrusted to Protect People Instead Obey Corporations— “The FDA and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) are beholden to industry and put the interests of junk food giants over public health… A symbiotic relationship exists between AND and junk food corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, General Mills and Kraft. Trade group American Beverage launched a coordinated campaign to downplay the aspartame-cancer finding by paying registered dietitians and other health professionals to promote aspartame on social media.” More Sources: How to Get Rid of Toxic Foods? Clean Up the Agencies That Are Supposed to Regulate Them article
7. Corruption of Organizations in the Food System is Rampant — “The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), a group instrumental in sculpting the nation’s eating habits, finds itself in controversy as new evidence suggests a tangible, disconcerting link between our dietary guidelines and the financial interests of major food and pharmaceutical entities.” More Sources: Cambridge University Press report, How Corporations Corrupted Nutrition Guidelines in the USA 10-min video, U.S. Right to Know, Nearly Half of Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Have Conflicts of Interest article
8. Numerous Organizations Claiming to Provide Health Information are Actually Propagandists for Corporations— “The Food Compass, unveiled in 2021 by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, appears to be a propaganda tool in disguise… [Despite] claims that it’s a science-based tool to rank the healthfulness of foods, it actually promotes ultraprocessed junk.”
9. EPA Illegally Hid Health, Safety Data — The EPA was sued “for allegedly withholding data on toxic forever chemicals.”
10. EPA Catered to Chemical Manufacturers Rather than Defending Food Safety — “Following a 2019 application submitted by chlormequat manufacturer Taminco, the EPA proposed in April last year to allow the use of chlormequat on oats, barley, wheat, and triticale grown in the United States.”
11. EPA Spending its Resources to Discredit Testimony of Expert Witness Describing Studies that Prove Fluoride Is a Neurotoxin — EPA seeks to protect industry instead of preventing potential harm to people, called for based on such evidence as the following: “The release of the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) systematic review of fluoride’s neurotoxicity was concealed from the public… Prior to the NTP report’s scheduled release in May 2022, it was shared with members of dental groups like the American Dental Association, which urged officials to alter the report. After a court order, the NTP report was released, showing that out of 55 studies included, 52 found that increased fluoride exposure was associated with decreases in child IQ.” [source] “Fluoride is a highly toxic substance. Consider, for example, the poison warning that the FDA now requires on all fluoride toothpastes sold in the U.S. or the tens of millions of people throughout China and India who now suffer serious crippling bone diseases from drinking water with elevated levels of fluoride… Fluoride has long been used in rodenticides and pesticides to kill pests like rats and insects… Over-ingestion of fluoridated dental products…can cause serious poisoning incidents, including death.” [source]  Research found that fluoride “readily accumulates in the human pineal gland.” [source and source and source]
12. FSA Ignored U.K. Citizens’ Opposition to GMOs / PBOs — “The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has just published the final report on its public consultation on the sale of genetically modified precision bred (PBOs) food and animal feed in England…. They are openly disdainful of citizen (‘consumer’) views and fail to live up to the FSA’s mandate to protect the public interest… Citizens in the UK are – and have been for decades – consistent in their rejection of unlabelled, unmonitored, unregulated GMOs in the food system. It is in the public interest to respond to and act on these views, but that is not what the FSA has done.”

Just as Academic Institutions and Establishment Medicine Have Been Captured by the Pharmaceutical Industry, Academic Nutrition Departments Do the Bidding of “Big Food” Corporations

Much of the funding of many academic nutrition departments is from the food industry or its intermediaries, which helps drive research agendas. ⁴ The medical world learnt the hard lessons on influence from the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries, but it has yet to recognise fully the influence of food and drink companies, which have far greater impact on our health. This influence has indirectly ensured that it took 40 years for the first quality randomised controlled trial of the effects of junk food in humans. – Dr. Tim Spector and Dr. Christopher D. Gardner

Health-Degrading Propaganda Delivered as Nutritional Advice

The Food Compass seems like a bad joke (only they aren’t kidding.) Are Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs healthier than meat and eggs? That’s what the new Tufts Food Compass ranking system would have you believe. In a recent editorial on this topic, independent journalist Nina Teicholz rightly asks: “What kind of dystopian world has nutrition ‘science’ entered into whereby a university, a peer-reviewed journal, and one of the field’s most influential leaders legitimize advice telling the public to eat more Lucky Charms and fewer eggs?” Perhaps the fact that Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition receives funding from 60 companies, including several that ranked highly on the Food Compass, has something to do with it? – Chris Kresser, Email Feb 10, 2023

“A Few Powerful Transnational Companies Dominate Every Link of the Food Supply Chain: From Seeds and Fertilizers to Slaughterhouses and Supermarkets”

A handful of powerful companies control the majority market share of almost 80% of dozens of grocery items bought regularly by ordinary Americans, new analysis reveals. A joint investigation by the Guardian and Food and Water Watch found that consumer choice is largely an illusion – despite supermarket shelves and fridges brimming with different brands. In fact, a few powerful transnational companies dominate every link of the food supply chain: from seeds and fertilizers to slaughterhouses and supermarkets to cereals and beers.The size, power and profits of these mega companies have expanded thanks to political lobbying and weak regulation which enabled a wave of unchecked mergers and acquisitions. This matters because the size and influence of these mega-companies enables them to largely dictate what America’s 2 million farmers grow and how much they are paid, as well as what consumers eat and how much our groceries cost. It also means those who harvest, pack and sell us our food have the least power: at least half of the 10 lowest-paid jobs are in the food industry. Farms and meat processing plants are among the most dangerous and exploitative workplaces in the country. Overall, only 15 cents of every dollar we spend in the supermarket goes to farmers. The rest goes to processing and marketing our food… “It’s a system designed to funnel money into the hands of corporate shareholders and executives while exploiting farmers and workers and deceiving consumers…” said Amanda Starbuck. – The Guardian, July 14, 2021

Apeel

Apeel is a chemical formulation that may be put on organics and cannot be washed off.

Apeel: Sources by Date

1. Oct 17, 2024 — Protecting Organic Integrity: A Closer Look at Apeel and Its Coatings — Alliance for Natural Health link
2. May 15, 2024 — Apeel: On Extending Shelf Life; At What Cost? — Lies are Unbekoming link
3. Mar 30, 2024 — Is Bill Gates’ Apeel Really Safe? — Dr. Eric Berg 5-min video
4. Mar 22, 2024 — How do I Know if APEEL Is On My Produce? — Go See Christy 4-min video
5. Mar 8, 2024 — The Shocking Truth About Bill Gates’ Apeel “Organic” Coating and McDonald’s Partnership — Dr. Josh Axe 9-min video
6. Aug 18, 2023 — How Corporations CORRUPTED Nutrition Guidelines In The USA — Breaking Points 10-min video
7. Apr 28, 2023 — Peeling back Apeel — Alliance for Natural Health link

A Root Cause: Industrial Agriculture / Factory Farming

1. Conventional, Chemical-Intensive Farming is at the Root of Human Crises — “Conventional, chemical and energy-intensive farming is also depleting fresh water supplies, while toxic agricultural chemicals pollute air, soil and waterways, thereby threatening the entire food chain from top to bottom. Answers to pressing global problems hinge on the widespread implementation of regenerative farming and decentralized food distribution.”
2. Loss of Farming Diversity Increased Use of Poisons in Soils & Therefore in the Food — “The modernization and mechanization of agriculture accelerated the loss of diversity of American farms. It became a common practice to no longer raise livestock on the same farms where crops were grown. Without animal manure to provide nutrients to crops, synthetic fertilizer was needed. Today, most farms grow crops or raise livestock, not both; only a small percentage produce more than four crops. When a farmer grows only a single crop year after year, more chemicals are required to keep the soil fertile. The result is a specialization in a few commodities destined for the production of processed food, animal feed, and ethanol, and it’s all dependent on synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides that sink into the soil, transferring into the food we eat. Ms. Matte encourages her patients to develop relationships with local farmers. “Ask them questions about their farming philosophies. Because of the various farming styles, some need less pesticides and fertilizers than others.”
3. ‘Enough Is Enough’: US Factory Farm Takeover Continues With 1.7 Billion Animals — “Critics of factory farming renewed demands for U.S. policy reforms… The USDA’s new data show that without policy changes, factory farms will continue to get bigger and bigger, wreaking havoc on public health, the environment, and the climate.”
4. Despite Horrific Downstream Consequences, Farm Animals Routinely Given Antibiotics for Prevention & Growth — “As of 2020, 69% of the U.S. antibiotic supply was bought up by the meat industry, and most of these antibiotics are given to animals that aren’t sick; rather, they’re used for prophylactic and/or growth promotion purposes… When animals are given antibiotics, it causes unnatural growth by altering their gut microbiome. In the process, some of those gut bacteria become antibiotic-resistant. Contaminated meat can then become a source of drug-resistant infections. The death toll attributed to drug-resistant infections is thought to be around 4.95 million annually… Natural antimicrobials that do not appear to promote drug resistance include garlic, ginger, echinacea, goldenseal, myrrh oil, thyme oil, oregano oil, clove extract, olive leaf extract and colloidal silver.”

Factory Farming: Sources by Date

1. Jan 22, 2025 — Big Business’ Latest ‘Solution’ – Engineering Cow Digestion for Profit; “Big Ag pushes a new synthetic additive Bovaer to ‘fix’ cow burp methane emissions while sidelining sustainable farming solutions. With Bovaer, cows are consuming a daily dose of silicon dioxide, petroleum-derived propylene glycol, and synthetic compounds — but at what cost?… Altering cow digestion disrupts an ancient, balanced carbon cycle… Let’s look deeper at what’s really driving this ‘innovation.'” — Ashley Armstrong, Mercola.com link
2. Jan 14, 2025 — ‘Forever chemicals’ in sludge may taint nearly 70 million farmland acres; “This contamination stems from the widespread use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. The practice remains largely unregulated, despite mounting evidence it could contaminate food and water.” — Jared Hayes, EWG link
3. Mar 13, 2024 — Modern Agriculture Drives Hunger, Obesity and Disease While Simultaneously Threatening Food Chain; “Conventional, chemical and energy-intensive farming is also depleting fresh water supplies, while toxic agricultural chemicals pollute air, soil and waterways, thereby threatening the entire food chain from top to bottom. Answers to pressing global problems hinge on the widespread implementation of regenerative farming and decentralized food distribution.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
4. Apr 13, 2021 — Modern Agriculture Is Militarized; “In 2019, Iowa had 3,963 large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) — which refers to those with 1,000 animals or more — up from 789 in 1990… Northwest Iowa’s watersheds are burdened by nitrate pollution — the result of unconstrained CAFO expansion. In December 2020, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch sued the state for not protecting residents’ right to clean water and arguing that the increasing number of hog farms, with few pollution restrictions, were contaminating the Raccoon River with manure and fertilizer runoff. By acting on an individual level to be agents of change, we can all make waves that push agriculture away from industrial militarization and toward regenerative practices that have true potential to feed the world and heal the planet.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
5. Jun 12, 2018 — The Factory Farm Toilet; “Manure from industrial agriculture is the primary source of nitrogen and phosphorus in waterways. Much of the nitrates devastating the Mississippi river are coming from Iowa, a state with well over 14,000 CAFOs… While Iowa is one of 12 states that committed to a nutrient-reduction strategy to try to stop the nitrate-driven Gulf of Mexico dead zone from worsening, this can only occur if Iowa’s CAFO-driven nitrogen pollution is reduced.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
6. Jan 27, 2015 — How Factory Farms Destroy Drinking Water Worldwide; “Agriculture uses the majority—70 percent—of the world’s fresh water supply. Large-scale factory farms not only deplete aquifers of valuable drinking water, they also pollute what little water remains. Modern agriculture is also responsible for the destruction of topsoil.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
7. May 15, 2013 — Ag-Gag Laws: What Is Modern Agriculture Trying to Hide? “Undercover videos filmed by animal rights groups have exposed some of the most inhumane and unsanitary agricultural conditions imaginable… Ag-gag laws make it illegal to take undercover photos or videos, requiring anyone applying for a job at a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) to disclose affiliations with animal rights groups, and other measures. Ag-gag laws are being heavily promoted by lobbyists for the meat, egg and dairy industries to essentially prevent anyone from exposing animal cruelty and food-safety issues at CAFOs. Five states have ag-gag laws already in place, and another 10 have introduced their own anti-whistleblower laws this year. Industrial food producers are also encouraging their ‘farmers’ to change the terms they use for their horrific practices to less-offensive sounding words, such as swapping ‘gestation crates’ with ‘individual maternity pens.’ Corporations primarily use the CAFO system because efficiency and profits are valued above all else, even though this frequently violates natural laws and increases the risk to people eating the food they produce.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link
8. May 13, 2010 — The Problem with Factory Farms; “The book Animal Factory, by David Kirby, takes a close look at factory farms and the problems they cause… Among the problems Kirby notes: ‘You’re often no longer feeding animals what they’re genetically designed to eat. CAFO cows eat a diet of milled grains, corn and soybeans, when they are supposed to eat grass. The food isn’t natural because they very often put growth hormones and antibiotics in it. That becomes a problem when you put that manure on the ground.’ Animal Factory also looks at the fate of the Neuse River in North Carolina, where waste runoff from pig farms caused massive fish die-offs.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola link

Solutions & What You Can Do

There is Universal Agreement that the Food System is Toxic & People Must Take Great Care to Get Clean Food

Unbeknownst to many people, the foods we buy have a lot of toxic additives lurking in them. This means they’ve been altered in ways that actually make you hungrier and hijack the brain to worsen your emotional eating habits. As a Harvard-trained nutritionist, I always remind people to read the food labels. – CNBC

Maine Town Declares Food Sovereignty

Sedgwick, Maine has done what no other town in the United States has done. The town unanimously passed an ordinance giving its citizens the right “to produce, process, sell, purchase, and consume local foods of their choosing.” This includes raw milk, locally slaughtered meats, and just about anything else you can imagine. It’s also a decided bucking of state and federal laws. – Mar 15, 2011