‘Curious Conversations’ podcast: Melissa Wright talks about food ingredients, nutrition, and labels
Melissa Wright joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about navigating food, food ingredients, and nutrition. She explained how people should interpret labels and discussed the complexities of topics such as raw milk, protein, and color additives. Wright also offered practical advice for consumers and producers to make informed decisions about food safety and nutrition.
“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
Takeaways
Food labels list ingredients in descending order by weight, which means the first few ingredients are the most prevalent in the product.
Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria that pasteurization typically eliminates, posing health risks and raising the need for consumer awareness and regulatory compliance.
Not all proteins are created equal. Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids, while others may lack one or more. A product’s listed percentage of daily value, as opposed to the grams, is the best way to evaluate its true protein content.
About Wright
Wright is director of the Food Producer Technical Assistance Network at Virginia Tech, which supports food entrepreneurs by assisting with nutrition label content, food safety analysis, and pertinent food regulations. The program’s goal is to help Virginia’s food-processing industry produce high-quality, safe, and innovative food products.
Learn more
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Banning artificial food dyes: Why now and the challenges it presents to the food industry
Expert shares tips for food safety at cookouts and potlucks
About the podcast
"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life. Produced and hosted by Travis Williams, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Office of Research and Innovation, university researchers share their expertise and motivations as well as the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.
