How the Dirty Dozen list affects public health
For more than two decades, the so-called “dirty dozen” list has spread inaccurate safety fears about the most popular and healthy fruits and vegetables.
Peer reviewed research has not only shown this list lacks any scientific credibility but studies have also found that its message may result in low income consumers stating they are less likely to purchase any produce – organic or conventionally grown.
Despite these study findings, this list is still released every year. Why do some promote its use? And, what are the scientific and nutritional concerns about its impact on public health? Join the Alliance for Food and Farming’s upcoming one-hour webinar on Tuesday, February 23 at 10:00 PST, 1:00 EST to learn more.
While the “dirty dozen” list is perhaps the most well-known, many other groups and outlets continue to perpetuate safety misinformation about the more accessible and affordable produce items year after year. This webinar will also address how the repetition of this fear-based messaging has led to confusion or the misunderstanding that some produce is safer than other fruits and vegetables when government sampling data and decades of peer reviewed research do not support these claims.
The webinar will conclude with real-life examples of how dietitians and media authorities can reassure consumers about produce safety.
The webinar panelists include:
Dr. Carl Winter – Dr. Winter, Cooperative Extension Food Toxicology Specialist Emeritus, University of California, Davis, will provide an overview of the peer reviewed study he authored where he and his colleague examined the “dirty dozen” list recommendations as well as the methodology used to develop this list. Dr. Winter will also provide information specific to toxicology and pesticide residues and systems in place to protect consumers, farm workers and the environment.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND – Amidor will discuss the importance of reinforcing consumer choice to increase consumption of these nutrient-dense foods and provide real-life examples on positive promotion of fruits and vegetables. As a “pro-choice” dietitian, Amidor encourages consumers choose organic, conventional, local, home-grown – whatever produce they prefer for themselves and their families. Amidor will also review studies which show the impact of fear-based messaging about produce safety on the purchasing habits of low income consumers.
The webinar will be moderated by Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, CPT, Author, Health and Wellness Consultant and owner of Shaw Simple Swaps.
Click here to register for the February 23 webinar.
For dietitians and nutritionists, 1.0 continuing education unit is pending.
More About the Moderator and Panelists:
Dr. Carl Winter is Cooperative Extension Food Toxicology Specialist Emeritus at the University of California, Davis following a 32 year career (1987-2019) at the University. His research and outreach activities focus upon chemical contaminants in food. He has provided U.S. congressional testimony on several occasions and has been involved in more than 1,000 media interviews. He has authored two books and more than 150 publications in scientific journals, books, and popular media. Dr. Winter was elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2008. He received the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s Hod Ogden Award in 2003, the NSF International Food Safety Leadership Award for Education and Training in 2009, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology’s Borlaug Communication Award in 2012, the Institute of Food Technologists’ Bernard L. Oser Award for Food Ingredient Safety in 2016 and the Institute of Food Technologists’ Carl R. Fellers Award in 2020.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, who believes that healthy and wholesome can also be appetizing and delicious. In addition to her consulting services, for 12 years she has been the nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com, writing for their Healthy Eats Blog. Amidor is also a contributor to U.S. News and World Report Eat + Run blog, Shape.com, Muscle&Fitness.com, EatingWell.com and has her own “Ask the Expert” column in Today’s Dietitian Magazine. She is a Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author and some of her recent books include “The Best 3-Ingredient Cookbook,” “The Create-Your-Plate Diabetes Cookbook” and “Smart Meal Prep for Beginners.” Amidor trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University. Through ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media. In 2018, Toby was awarded by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics the coveted Media Excellence Award.
Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, CPT, is a nationally known nutrition expert and owns a nutrition communications business and private practice in California. Shaw has been a dietitian for over 10 years, an adjunct professor for over seven years and is a certified personal trainer. She is a four-time author, with titles including the Instant Pot Cookbook For Dummies, Air Fryer Cookbook For Dummies, Fertility Foods Cookbook, and the Stress-Free IVF Nutrition Guide. A guest on local and national television, she serves as a spokesperson for many different agencies, discussing the importance of food and nutrition as key players in leading a healthy life through sound, evidenced based nutrition. You’ll also see Shaw frequently quoted as a national nutrition expert in the news for publications such as Prevention, Oxygen Magazine, Shape, and others.
