The Poison Squad: Harvey Wiley and Food Safety

from Light Your Bunsen Burner · host Mariela Rosas/Jonah Baker

Before proper food safety regulation, everything from borax to formaldehyde could end up on your dinner plate. Then in the early 1900's, one wily chemists assembled a  group of volunteers to eat poison for science. Join us as we digest the appetizing story of The Poison Squad! We learn what eating borax for a year will do to a healthy young man, pour some praise for the AOAC and give you advise on which side of the glory hole you want to be on. 

What this episode covers

Before proper food safety regulation, everything from borax to formaldehyde could end up on your dinner plate. Then in the early 1900's, one wily chemists assembled a group of volunteers to eat poison for science. Join us as we digest the appetizing story of The Poison Squad! We learn what eating borax for a year will do to a healthy young man, pour some praise for the AOAC and give you advise on which side of the glory hole you want to be on.

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The Poison Squad: Harvey Wiley and Food Safety

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This episode was published on July 15, 2019.

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