An article in USA Today (9/9/09) is boldly entitled "Sixty Percent of Adults Can't Digest Milk." First of all, this is incorrect because it is actually the lactose of milk that is a problem for some people to digest. The other two major milk nutrients, protein and fat, are readily digested by all normal humans. There are several relatively simple ways for those who have a problem with the lactose digestion to deal with it.

Michael A. Kamrin, Ph.D., wrote a technical paper, "Phthalate Risks, Phthalate Regulation, and Public Health: A Review," which appeared in the February 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 2:157-74) Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B: Critical Reviews.

This piece first appeared on NationalReview.com on September 14, 2009:

Norman Borlaug, Nobel Laureate, Green Revolution pioneer, and a founding Director of the American Council on Science and Health in 1978, died this weekend, at age ninety-five.

New York, NY -- September 10, 2009. In late July, a study commissioned by the United Kingdom s Food Standards Authority found that there was no nutritional difference between organic and conventional food. This is consistent with prior studies, but the organic food industry has convinced many people that their products are more nutritious because they contain a little more vitamin C (about 10% on average), a lot less nitrate, and varying percentages of higher antioxidant concentrations.

A few weeks ago, the world of organic food proponents was rocked by new research that organic food was not any more nutritious than conventionally-grown food. Consumers have long been interested in knowing if the extra money they have been shelling out for organic food is justified and the subject, therefore, is of much interest.
A Little Bit of Background

This piece -- and numerous reader comments upon it -- originally appeared in the National Post:

This piece by ACSH Trustee Henry Miller appears in its entirety in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News.

Phthalates, BPA and toxic lead paint: How safe are toys and school supplies made for children?

In a recent, totally outrageous interview published in the UK paper The Telegraph, actress Meryl Streep, star of Julie & Julia, maligns and misrepresents the real-life version of the character she plays, famed chef Julia Child.
And in the process she defames the organization I head up, the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH).
Ms. Streep actually calls Julia Child "a pawn of big business." You can hardly get more outrageous than that.
I knew Julia Child. Let me share with you the actual facts about her -- and ACSH.