/oss/taxonomy/term/2699/all en /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news-toxicity/dr-oz-and-phthalates <p>The title of the segment on the Dr. Oz Show was “The Secret Ingredient Companies are Hiding in Your Food.” What could that be? Some opiate to keep you coming back for more? Tetrahydrocannabinol to increase appetite? No. The segment was all about chemicals called phthalates. And companies are not hiding their presence any more than they are “hiding” the presence of numerous substances that are not added to our food supply on purpose but can be detected through sophisticated analytical methods.</p> Fri, 14 Nov 2014 04:39:25 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2211 at /oss /oss/article/food-health-quirky-science/when-mayo-isnt-mayonnaise <p>If you ask Unilever, producers of “Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise”, which is the market leader in the 11.3 billion dollar a year global mayonnaise industry, it’s when the product contains no eggs. The Federal Food and Drug Administration agrees, defining "mayonnaise" as a condiment that must contain a specific amount of vegetable oil and egg yolk. But what if you just shorten the name and call it “Just Mayo?” Does it still have to contain eggs?</p> Wed, 31 Dec 2014 01:09:22 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2227 at /oss