Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7h

California's crackdown on ultraprocessed foods in schools borrows from several countries

Like Brazil, it singles out UPFs. But like Chile, Mexico & others, it focuses on cutting out junk foods rather than reducing processing overall

My analysis for @theexamination.org newsletter

California becomes first U.S state to regulate ultra-processed foods in schools

California bans some ultra-processed foods in school meals. Plus, global health updates from across our beats.

mailchi.mp

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7h

Supporters of Indonesia's president create a cyber team to counter "disinformation, slander, and hatred" about his flagship program for free nutritious school meals

The program faced controversy after thousands of children were food poisoned, supporters say some claims are false and malicious

Prabowo Supporters to Form Cyber Team to Combat Free Meal Program Disinformation

Prabowo's supporters are planning to fight back against what they consider as slander about the free nutritious meal program.

en.tempo.co

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7h

A surge in food prices is driving child malnutrition in northern Nigeria to crisis levels

Food prices in Nigeria increased 21% from 2024 to 2025, after an earlier report found that Nigerians were already spending a staggering 59% of their income on food, the highest rate in the world

High food prices deepen Kano’s child malnutrition crisis

Children who are malnourished have weakened immunity, leaving them prone to frequent infections such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria.

www.premiumtimesng.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7h

Trump's shutdown firings hit the CDC team behind the country's key survey on public health and nutrition

"It will be very, very difficult for the survey to continue with this group gone," a former CDC official tells @statnews.com

CDC team running top survey on health and nutrition is laid off

NHANES has collected data on eating patterns, diabetes, and other common diseases for decades. The CDC team that runs it has been fired.

www.statnews.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 1d

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

www.consumerreports.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 1d

A food industry group sues to overturn West Virginia's ban on certain food dyes and additives, saying it usurps the power of the FDA and has no scientific grounding

The case is worth watching because the most concrete actions on food additives are all at the state level

Lawsuit challenges West Virginia colors law

The International Association of Color Manufacturers argues for the safety of synthetic dyes.

www.foodbusinessnews.net

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 4d

Remarkable admission in an obscure Labor Dept filing:

Trump's immigration crackdown is threatening “the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers”

Trump administration says immigration enforcement threatens higher food prices

U.S. farmers face labor shortages and potential food price hikes due to Trump’s immigration policy, the administration acknowledged in a Federal Registry document.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 5d

Columbia's Knight Institute won a landmark free speech ruling defending a campus activist targeted by ICE - while the university cut a deal with the administration

“In some ways, it’s rescued Columbia’s reputation," a former ACLU director says of the Knight Institute

This free speech group at Columbia is taking on Trump when the university won’t – and winning

The Knight Institute is defending free speech at a school now synonymous with compromising on it

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 6d

Some exciting news: 404 Media just won a grant via Muckrock to investigate book bans and educational censorship in the U.S. The plan is to file hundreds of public records requests around the country and to report on and archive all the documents for public use:

www.404media.co/help-us-inve...

Help Us Investigate Book Bans and Educational Censorship Around America

404 Media has gotten a grant to unearth public records about systematic censorship of books, schools, and libraries in the U.S.

www.404media.co

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 6d

after the 10th radioactive shrimp recall in 7 weeks, i decided to do some digging

little did i know it would lead me to an underreported industrial accident that may have released an airborne plume of radioactive debris over swaths of indonesia
www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

What Is Really Going on With All This Radioactive Shrimp? - Consumer Reports

Here’s the latest on how shrimp and spices got contaminated with cesium-137, how the FDA has responded, and why consumers should not panic.

www.consumerreports.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

One caveat: Its not clear from the story if the social media post itself was paid for, though "unboxing" videos are a common type of paid promotion

Free samples are included as a "material connection" that must be clearly disclosed
www.ftc.gov/business-gui...

Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers

Do you work with brands to recommend or endorse products? If so, you need to comply with the law when making these recommendations. One key is to make a good disclosure of your relationship to the bra...

www.ftc.gov

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

“We're disappointed to see this kind of influencer marketing,” a top FTC official said at the time

Here's our story with @caitlingilbert.bsky.social & Anahad O'Connor
www.theexamination.org/articles/ftc...

FTC crackdown

The agency said food and sugar industry trade groups and nutrition influencers failed to adequately disclose who was behind paid advertising.

www.theexamination.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

This violates FTC guidelines requiring "clear and conspicuous disclosures" of sponsors in paid social media messages

When @theexamination.org reported with WaPo about registered dietitians who posted paid promotions without naming their sponsors, the FTC sent them warning letters

Fenit Nirappil @fenitn.bsky.social · 6d

NEW: A Washington Post deep dive into surgeon general nominee Casey Means found she blurred sponsorship lines as she promoted supplements and products outside the medical mainstream.

Here’s one example.

And a gift link to read more: wapo.st/46LWoKQ

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 6d

A new law moves California to the forefront of state action on UPFs

The policy will phase out "UPFs of concern" based on "addictive potential, scientific evidence of their health risks and existing bans, restrictions or warning labels in other states or countries"

California becomes the first state to phase ultraprocessed food out of school meals

The law, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Wednesday, sets a 10-year deadline for the change to take place.

www.nbcnews.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Amanda Katz @katzish.bsky.social · 7d

Horrific reporting from the AP on the Myanmar families watching their kids starve to death from Trump and Musk’s aid cuts apnews.com/article/myan...

Starving children screaming for food as US aid cuts unleash devastation and death across Myanmar

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died" because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program.

apnews.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7d

This is why we started @theexamination.org, an investigative newsroom that holds powerful actors accountable for the world's leading causes of death

Our core beats are Big Food (linked to #1 killer), Big Tobacco (linked to #2) and Industrial Pollution (linked to #2, #5 & more)

Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 8d

Does the news reflect what we die from?

The image presents a comparison of the leading causes of death in the United States for 2023 and the media coverage these causes receive from three news outlets: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Fox News.

In the footer, it notes the data sources, indicating that the information is based on media mentions from Media Cloud (2025) and death data from the US CDC (2025) and the Global Terrorism Index, with a clarification that values are normalized to sum to 100%.

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7d

Good @civileats.com rundown of industry ties in Trump's food policy leadership. Among them:

- Undersecretary for Food Safety nominee described by Congress as "meat industry's go to fixer"
- Food Safety Inspection Service administrator helped w controversial "climate-friendly beef" label at Tyson

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

civileats.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 7d

JBS Aves, the poultry division of meat giant JBS, was excluded from Brazil's newest "Dirty List" for slave labor despite an inspection finding modern slavery conditions in its supply chain

The Labor Minister personally intervened to keep the company off the list

Governo divulga nova Lista Suja da escravidão e JBS fica de fora

Cadastro oficial de empregadores responsabilizados por trabalho escravo foi atualizado e conta agora om 691 nomes ao todo

reporterbrasil.org.br

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 9d

“We were heard" - CEO of pesticide trade group CropLife America praises last month's MAHA report

Language criticizing the health effects of pesticides in an earlier MAHA report was eliminated after a lobbying blitz

How Big Agriculture got its way in the latest MAHA report

Alarmed by the first MAHA commission report, the agriculture industry mobilized to shape the next installment. Those efforts seemingly paid off.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 9d

Niche brands selling higher-end, more specialized products are beating out Big Food

These "insurgent brands" make up less than 2% of products but drove almost 39% of category gains in 2024, WSJ reports, while Big Food's market share erodes

Startups Are Eating Big Food’s Lunch

Smaller brands are capturing much of the growth in packaged foods.

www.wsj.com

Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 12d

Brazil's Justice Department orders JBS Aves, the poultry division of the world's biggest meat producer, to take 17 actions to ensure its supply chain is free of forced labor

An inspection found forced labor at a JBS Aves supplier last December, @reporterbrasil.org.br is on top of the story

Justiça obriga JBS a agir contra trabalho escravo em granjas

Decisão liminar da Vara do Trabalho de Soledade (RS) obriga JBS Aves a adotar 17 medidas para monitorar granjas fornecedoras

reporterbrasil.org.br

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 13d

Nicotine-infused energy drinks are marketing themselves as "clean fuel" to customers seeking better cognitive performance

Welcome to 2025, everyone

Beverages: Nicotine-Infused Energy Drinks: The Rise of Cognitive Fuel for Performance Users

What is the Nicotine-Infused Beverage Trend?The Nicotine-Infused Beverage Trend is the emergence of ready-to-drink (RTD) products that combine microdosed nicotine with conventional energy ingredients ...

www.insighttrendsworld.com

Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Chelsea M. Cameron (she/they) @chel-c-cam.bsky.social · 14d

Since they’ve cut food inspections at the FDA, the burden is now more on consumers to protect ourselves from contaminated food: www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

10 Really Risky Foods Right Now - Consumer Reports

In this look at 10 really risky foods right now, CR shows you how to protect yourself from food poisoning from these foods and in general.

www.consumerreports.org

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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 14d

Walmart is getting rid of synthetic dyes and cutting 30 ingredients from preservatives to artificial sweeteners from store brand foods by January 2027, changes likely to ripple through the US food supply chain

“The customer is just getting louder and louder on this,” a Walmart VP tells WSJ

Walmart Ditching Dyes, Other Artificial Ingredients in Its Food Brands

The retail giant said it is working to remove synthetic dyes from all its store-brand foods, including Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and Bettergoods.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Sasha Chavkin

Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 14d

The real-life impact of Trump and Musk’s freeze on USAID

Drugs and food, intended for global aid, instead languished and rotted in warehouses — and some children withered and died.

Sweeping, damning investigation by my @washingtonpost.com colleagues.

Trump’s USAID pause stranded lifesaving drugs. Children died waiting.

USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found...

www.washingtonpost.com

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