In the news – Polyvinyl Alcohol
The weight of evidence: Why detergent-grade PVA is safe for people & the environment
Recently, we’ve seen folks in the go.msu.edu/cris-idea.
News
Science Day 2025: Science Communication
Communicating Chemical Ingredient Safety for Today & Tomorrow
How can we more effectively communicate the safety of chemical ingredients today, while building the systems and trust needed for the future? Join us as leading experts tackle this challenge from every angle.
📍 Michigan…
Corn Syrup
Corn syrup has become one of the most talked-about and misunderstood ingredients on food labels. It's often confused with high-fructose corn syrup and gets grouped into broad fears about “added sugars.” But what is corn syrup exactly, and should you be…
What’s the risk? Alcohol consumption
You’ve probably seen the headlines suggesting “go.msu.edu/cris-idea.
Citations and further reading.
World Health Organization. (2023, January 4). No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health. WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Exploring Gold-Standard Science
In prior posts, we’ve discussed at a high level how to analyze a research study and how decisions are made by understanding the weight of evidence.
In this post, we will look deeper to help identify key characteristics of a quality (i.e.,…
MAHA Report
Updated: September 22, 2025
The release of The MAHA Report–Make Our Children Healthy Again: Assessment has generated a tremendous amount of headlines, as well as considerable confusion. Since there are more than enough people and organizations opining on the report, we’ll spare…
Weight of Evidence
If you’ve ever wondered how scientists decide whether an ingredient is safe to eat, use, or breathe in, especially when different studies say different things, you’re not alone. One term experts often use is “weight of evidence.” But what does that…
What’s the risk? Synthetic vs natural chemical ingredients
We see continued conversations about synthetic food ingredients, but what are they, and how do they differ from natural ones? In this post, we look at synthetic vs natural ingredients.
Top Takeaways:
Every ingredient is a chemical, even natural ones like water…
GRAS Loophole?
Recently, the Department of Health and Human Services leadership has suggested that the GRAS process needs to be changed. In this post, we provide context to help you better understand what GRAS is and isn't.
Top Takeaways:
GRAS stands for Generally Recognized…
Community Request – Diacetyl
In this community request, we look at diacetyl, a compound that’s caused safety confusion.
Top Takeaways:
Diacetyl is safe for ingesting in food and beverages.
Some vape and e-cigarette liquids contain diacetyl.
You should avoid inhaling diacetyl in all forms.
What is diacetyl?
Diacetyl…