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A meta-analysis of data reported on food allergies was published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association as part of a large project organized by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. According to the report, despite the fact that 30 percent of the population believe they have food allergies, the true incidence of food allergies is only about 8 percent for children and less than 5 percent for adults.

“Many people who think they have a food allergy may have a food intolerance that does not involve their immune system,” explains Dr. Ross. “For example, lactose intolerance causes very uncomfortable reactions to dairy products...

946452_82008204We've known for a while now that a variety of factors can influence what, and how much, people consume.

For example, eating in a social setting can result in overeating, and so can removing half-empty plates from the table of portions already consumed. And most folks are aware that grocery shopping on an empty stomach often results in more purchases of high calorie foods, as we described here. A new ...

Adapted from "The New Skinny on Snack Foods," by Dr. Elizabeth M. Whelan, in Priorities for Long Life and Good Health, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1996.

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What Is Olestra?
Olestra-the first noncaloric fat replacer-is about to appear as an ingredient in in some of America's favorite snack foods. A label that says 'Olean' will show...

Comedy is an excellent tool for pointing out the absurdities of society.

Several years ago, Penn & Teller did an episode of Bullsh**! that examined the claims made by organic food enthusiasts. (See a clip here.) Though they didn't conduct a publication quality scientific experiment, they showed (rather convincingly and quite hilariously) that the average food snob simply can't tell the difference between conventionally grown food and organic food.

Their prank has been replicated by others. In one video, two guys attended a foodie convention and presented guests with a new "organic" alternative to fast food. The...

lots-of-cabbage-1431124-mA new study published in International Journal of Food Contamination shows that pesticide levels in food are far below levels that would warrant health concern.

The author of the study, Dr. Carl K. Winter of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California Davis, used FDA data on pesticide residue findings collected between 2004 and 2005 on 2,240 food items. A total of 77 pesticides were detected in the samples. (...

After Friday's suit by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer demanding that snack food companies put warning labels on foods such as potato chips and French fries because of the chemical acrylamide found in them, it's worth taking a look back at the calmer comment sent by ACSH Nutrition Director Dr. Ruth Kava to California's Office of Health Hazard Assessment about acrylamide:

TO: Ms. Susan Luong
OEHHA
Proposition 65 Implementation Program
FROM: Dr. Ruth Kava, Director of Nutrition, ACSH
RE: Proposed Rulemaking re: title 22, California Code of Regulations
DATE: July 8, 2005

BY EMAIL: SULUONG[at]oehha.ca.gov

Dear Ms. Luong:

The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is a consumer education consortium...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A U.S. health education group on Wednesday took legal action against the world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods in a bid to highlight what it called absurd food health scares.

A legal notice targeting whole-wheat and organic bread sold by the U.S. chain Whole Foods Market was filed by the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) after a worldwide scare over acrylamide, which can cause cancer in animals.

Preliminary scientific studies have found that acrylamide a substance found in fries, potato chips, water, coffee and carbohydrate rich foods such as bread that are fried or baked can cause cancer in animals. The World Health Organization last month said acrylamide was a cause of concern but more research was needed about the...

Defining Processed & Further Processed

First, let’s get a handle on the term ‘processed.’ Unless you are picking fruit and eating directly from a tree or on your hands and knees grazing, almost all the foods you eat are in some way processed. Processing makes eating safer as it reduces germs, eliminates dirt and filth, inhibits spoilage, aids transportation, simplifies storage, and prolongs shelf life. For fresh produce, processing involves harvesting, washing, grading for size and quality, packaging, shipping, and cold storage. Foods like apples may also receive a coating of edible alginate to protect the skin and color of the fruit. Oranges may be placed in a room with...

Fallen candy / Shutterstock Fallen candy / Shutterstock

Ever wonder if it’s really safe to eat food quickly after dropping it on the ground?

Science suggests that it may actually be alright to do so -- however, there are conditions -- because it all depends on what you drop and where you drop it. But given the proper circumstances, you can have reasonable faith that the so-called "5-second rule” works to keep illness at bay.

That's also the view presented in a...

To our readers:

We value your opinion. We have compiled a list of the five stories from 2014 that we feel are the most exciting and relevant and were wondering about your thoughts. Which of these stories is of most value to you? Please let us know by e-mailing us at morning@acsh.org.