Ami Zota, ScD, Professor, Columbia University discusses phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food supply.

Ami Zota, ScD, Professor, Columbia University discusses phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food supply.

From Food Sleuth Radio by Melinda Hemmelgarn

April 30, 2026 · 28 min · Episode 877

About this episode

Ami Zota discusses the impact of phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food supply, focusing on health equity and the disproportionate burden on communities of color.

Did you know that fast food products and ultra processed foods that contain toxic compounds such as phthalates, are more heavily marketed to people of color? Join Food Sleuth Radio host and Registered Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn for her conversation with Ami Zota, ScD, Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Zota describes and discusses phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food supply through a health equity lens and discusses the disproportionate burden of toxic chemical exposures among communities of color. Related Websites: Project TENDR: https://projecttendr.org/

People in this episode

Host: Melinda Hemmelgarn

Guest: Ami Zota

Topics covered

  • phthalates
  • endocrine disrupting chemicals
  • food supply
  • health equity
  • toxic exposures
  • communities of color

Keywords

  • phthalates
  • endocrine disruptors
  • food supply
  • health equity
  • toxic chemicals
  • communities of color
  • fast food
  • ultra processed foods

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Columbia University, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Project TENDR

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