Today, I'm joined by Ben Katz—better known online as Mr. Mass Spec —an academic analytical chemist from UC Irvine whose mission is to uncover what's really in our everyday foods, drinks, and products. Ben reverse engineers everything from Taco Bell meat to Doritos, and sometimes even entire industries, using cutting-edge mass spectrometry. His curiosity and expertise have made him a go-to source for those wanting to know what's hiding behind vague ingredient labels and "natural flavors."

Episode Timestamps:

Welcome and podcast introduction ... 00:00:00

What is mass spectrometry? ... 00:05:00

Viral "what's in it?" projects and public interest ... 00:07:27

Synthetic vs. plant-derived nicotine and toxins in plant extracts ... 00:09:53

Food label transparency and loopholes (natural flavors, FEMA, GRAS) ... 00:20:11

Sweeteners & artificial additives: sucralose, stevia, cost motivations ... 00:23:07

Ultra pasteurization of milk and added flavors ... 00:29:48

Chocolate, caffeine content, and labeling challenges ... 00:33:12

Industrial food processes, GMOs, and food security insights ... 00:38:36

Microplastics: occurrence, regulation, and PEG in food ... 00:50:15

Supplements under development for microplastic removal ... 00:58:43

Adulteration in olive oil, maple syrup, and honey ... 01:04:08

Hidden sweeteners, and processed food pitfalls ... 01:10:14

Avoid artificial sweeteners, problematic plastics, and hidden flavors ... 01:14:36

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