Food Safety

Closeup image of rice

US rice exported to Haiti may be harmful to health

New research from Jackie Goodrich

Rice exported to Haiti—mostly from the United States—contains unhealthy levels of arsenic and cadmium, which can increase the risk of various cancers, heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses, new research shows.

Sugar substitute aspartame on a spoon.

Aspartame and cancer: A toxicologist's take

Q&A with Jackie Goodrich

Jackie Goodrich, research associate professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discusses the World Health Organization's recent decision to classify the artificial sweetener as possibly carcinogenic while also maintaining the current recommendation of safe daily intake.

Sheep stand in a field

Michigan's PBB contamination: 50 years later

This month marks 50 years since Michigan's PBB contamination incident. In 1973, toxic flame retardant was mistakenly sent to Michigan farmers as livestock feed, causing an environmental health crisis. To this day, researchers continue to investigate the health effects of the contamination, and community members are active in advocating for clean-up efforts.

Lorem ipsum

Kate Bauer receives Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Food Security Award

Kate Bauer, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, has been named the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Food Security for the 2022-2023 academic year. Fulbright awards are considered one of the United States government’s most prestigious awards, supporting interdisciplinary academic research and work.

An infant drinks a bottle.

Baby formula shortages spell trouble for low-income families

Q&A with Kate Bauer

Supply chain issues, recalls and inflation are making it nearly impossible for families to find infant formula on store shelves, with some states reporting more than 50% of products sold out. Kate Bauer, associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discusses the impact of the shortage on families.

Bowls of food in a garden, including peppers, cucumbers, and carrots.

New Fellowship to Support Transformative Food System Studies

A new fellowship from an interdisciplinary group of schools, colleges and programs at the University of Michigan will assist an incoming group of master’s degree students who plan to study food systems. Students who are part of the Transformative Food Systems (TFS) Fellowship will study methods for constructing transformative food systems that are equitable, health-promoting and ecologically resilient.