Sign in

Sasha Chavkin

@sashachavkin.bsky.social
2.1K followers 407 following 529 posts

Senior reporter covering the food industry @theexamination.org. Past: RIN Fellow for Pulitzer Center/@apnews.com, Ted Scripps Fellow, reporter @ICIJorg. Believer in democracy, the Constitution and the New York Mets.

PostsRepliesMedia
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
An Argentine scientist found glyphosate in the urine of 84% of subjects in an EU-funded study. Then she was accused of research misconduct and is at risk of dismissal. "Its clear that our findings were not convenient for a lot of people," the study coordinator told @elpais.com
elpais.com
Ciencia incómoda: una investigadora que estudió plaguicidas en Argentina, a un paso de ser despedida
Virgina Aparicio encontró glifosato en la orina del 84% de las personas estudiadas para un proyecto internacional. Tras sus hallazgos, el organismo estatal de tecnología argentino la acusó de irregula...
010
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"From the Niger Delta to the Omani desert to the arid plains of Patagonia, companies are trumpeting success even as their flares burn day in and day out" New investigation from @willevans.bsky.social @theexamination.org @bloomberg.com reveals the empty promises of the "Zero Routing Flaring" program
theexamination.org
Oil companies say they're ending routine gas flaring. Satellite data tell a different story.
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
074
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
The Examination @theexamination.org · 05/10/2026
Oil giants pledged to end routine flaring — burning off unwanted gas — by 2030. But satellites show they’re still flaring, and the World Bank said they could keep doing so if stopping wasn't profitable. Our investigation with Bloomberg News ⤵️
theexamination.org
Oil companies say they're ending routine gas flaring. Satellite data tell a different story.
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
096
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
PAHO announced a partnership this January with Ferrero, a candy giant with a track record of lobbying and suing to block nutrition policies It then quietly backed out after objections about conflict of interest... and really doesn't want to talk about what happened New from @theexamination.org
theexamination.org
An international health agency partnered with candy giant Ferrero — then quietly backed out
Critics saw a conflict of interest in Ferrero helping fund vaccinations in Ecuador, where childhood obesity is rising. The Pan American Health Organization has since ended the deal.
043
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
they said AI was going to kill us but i didn't expect it so soon. congrats Meghan!
010
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Annie Waldman @anniewaldman.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
NEW: As Trump’s White House and influencers keep touting the unproven benefits of raw milk, hundreds across the country are falling ill from outbreaks. Some people get severe indigestion. And some nearly die. Here's the story of one toddler who drank it. 🧵👇 www.propublica.org/article/cali...
propublica.org
A Girl Nearly Died After Drinking Raw Milk. The State Did Little to Punish the Unlicensed Farmer Who Sold It.
California is teeming with black-market dairies, propped up by consumer demand fueled by misinformation. With evidence against one raw goat milk farm, regulators could have sought punitive action. But...
411030498
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Big food and agriculture companies have launched an influencer campaign to counter concerns about industrialized foods They're calling it GAHA: Growing a Healthier America
theguardian.com
A ‘freaked out’ US food industry is hitting back at Maha – with social media influencers
Cross-partisan support in Washington on issues like pesticides and food additives pose a threat to the industry’s bottom line
020
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
As federal UPF policy is stalled by the White House, California signs a new policy into law creating a voluntary "non UPF" state certification for foods Large food retailers will be required to clearly display certified non-UPF foods so customers can identify them
foodsafetynews.com
New California law creates non-ultra-processed food seal
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law that will make it possible for food companies to label their products with a “non-ultra-processed certified” seal. The bill was introduced by A...
001
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
RFK's efforts to crack down on ultraprocessed foods are being stalled by the White House, @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social reports The choke point is a proposed FDA definition of UPFs that is stuck in White House review after officials raised concerns about its effects on the food industry
wsj.com
RFK Jr.’s Push to Revamp American Food Runs Into White House Resistance
Concerns about whether Kennedy’s ideas on food are even feasible have prompted clashes within the administration, casting uncertainty over a once-potent political agenda.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The high-profile restaurant chains involved and "the absolute colossal number of illnesses” are pushing food safety to the front of voters' minds in the run-up to the midterm elections, experts tell @kffhealthnews.org
kffhealthnews.org
Food Safety Finds a Place Among ‘Kitchen-Table’ Political Issues - KFF Health News
Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness and high-profile recalls have made this issue a concern of voters.
062
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Sometimes you can win an argument just by repeating yourself over and over" @jasonmclure.bsky.social on how Big Tobacco's spam comments campaign swayed the FDA to abandon a ban on menthol cigarettes
theexamination.org
How Big Tobacco flooded the FDA with public comments to kill a menthol ban
The tobacco industry generated tens of thousands of opposition letters before the Biden administration backed away from the proposal, a new study found.
010
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
People who cut down on ultraprocessed foods reported reduced depression and anxiety, found a pilot study of 20 people The researchers say the results provide grounds to move forward with a larger trial
technologynetworks.com
Could Quitting Ultra-Processed Food Boost Your Mental Health?
Discover how, in a small-scale study, those who cut down on ultra-processed foods reported improvements in three measures of depression.
010
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Barry Yeoman @barryyeoman.com · 24/09/2026
MY LATEST: Today @theguardian.com published our investigation of 7-Eleven and Circle K. Both chains routinely overcharge customers for food, toiletries, tobacco, and medicine, and yet elude government scrutiny. With @jocelynzuck.bsky.social, @byardduncan.bsky.social, @sophiemsullivan.bsky.social
theguardian.com
Amid soaring living costs, America’s biggest convenience-store chains quietly overcharge consumers
Guardian investigation: 7-Eleven and Circle K stores often fail to honor advertised prices – charging more at pump and register for gas, snacks, and other items
077
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Is an energy drink labeled "Sour Patch Kids" being marketed to children? A federal appeals court panel seemed skeptical. "I also partake in candy so that can’t be where we stop, that it’s labeled Sour Patch Kids and that it’s colorful,” one judge said
news.bloomberglaw.com
Sour Patch Energy Drink Legal Fight Centers on Appeal to Kids
A federal appeals court panel Wednesday appeared to side with Ghost Beverages and Mondelez International Inc. that reasonable adults wouldn’t view the companies’ Sour Patch Kids flavored energy drinks...
010
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Meat producer Star Meat Delivery is recalling 167k pounds of raw beef, pork and goat products that skipped the required USDA inspection and used false certifications instead Another warning sign for the US food safety system
fsis.usda.gov
2259
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Health systems track acute exposures to pesticides. But they aren't equipped to measure their lifelong effects on consumers or farm workers, some of whom suffer elevated rates of cancer Ambitious new project from @saludconlupa.com shines a light on the longterm effects of pesticide exposure
saludconlupa.com
Huella tóxica: qué dejan los pesticidas en quienes trabajan con ellos y en lo que comemos
Los pesticidas forman parte de la vida cotidiana de millones de agricultores. En un clima cada vez más extremo y con una mayor presión de plagas, muchos preparan las mezclas y fumigan sus cultivos si…
021
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The MAHA moms built a new political force, but their movement has been taken over by MAGA men. Its not just the leaders (RFK Jr, Dr Oz etc) but the agenda - meat and testosterone are getting federal support while industry gets its way on pesticides, microplastics and more, @thefern.org reports
thefern.org
MAHA Moms Built a Movement. MAGA Bros Have Taken It Over | Food and Environment Reporting Network
This this past February, as Super Bowl viewers chowed down on Buffalo wings and loaded nachos, they found themselves unexpectedly admonished. On their TV screens, in a black-and-white close-up…
020
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Battery recyclers have cleaned up lead contaminated areas in the Nigerian town of Ogijo after @theexamination.org's investigation But the state government has still not shared the results of local blood tests for lead with residents or with the public, @willfitzgibbon.bsky.social reports
theexamination.org
Nigerian battery recyclers pay for lead cleanup after Examination investigation
Factories are operating again after being fined and told to clean up their act. But months after the government tested residents for lead poisoning, they haven’t gotten their results.
041
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
The Food & Environment Reporting Network @thefern.org · 16/09/2026
MAHA moms built the grassroots movement, but men are running it.
152
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
“They walk in feeling like their hearts are about to explode” A school nurse tells WSJ she regularly sees students with elevated blood pressure and shaking hands from drinking energy drinks, often after skipping meals and combining them with ADHD meds
wsj.com
Schools Have Had Enough of Energy Drinks and Overcaffeinated Kids
The drinks are a new target for schools, which say they are a distraction and a threat to student health.
010
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In China, blueberries cost $3/container and state-run media has declared an era of "blueberry freedom" How did they do it? By stealing Driscoll's patented varieties, a Chinese court ruled, and copying its technologies. Fascinating @wsj.com story on what happened when Big Berry went to China
wsj.com
Driscoll’s Gave China Its Blueberries—Then China Swiped the Secret to Growing Them
The California grower’s expansion into China ignited local competition and widespread intellectual-property theft. Private investigators went undercover at nurseries.
010
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Zach Boren @zdboren.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
a @grilledmedia.bsky.social exclusive: Europe's farming and agrochem lobbies pitched policymakers on weakening pesticide rules this summer, and I've got the presentations www.grilled.media/eu-pesticide...
grilled.media
Farming lobby's private pitch to weaken EU pesticide rules
Leading agriculture and pesticide groups invited EU policymakers to a closed-door briefing on relaxing pesticide approval rules. We have the presentations.
176
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
ProPublica @propublica.org · 14/09/2026
NEW: Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by Russian Oligarch Close to Putin Umar Kremlev footed the bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars of wedding expenses at Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish wedding, including renting out a private island and paying for the fireworks show.
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
21826881395
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Six of 19 members of the UK's scientific committee on nutrition have "conflicts of interest that the committee’s own rules deem 'significant' and should preclude them from being appointed," the @bmj.com reports
bmj.com
A third of UK government’s nutrition advisers are still paid by food industry, including Coca-Cola and Nestlé
Financial conflicts of interest remain rife in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), BMJ analysis reveals. Despite a new code of conduct banning links to the food industry, members wi...
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
And this - how Ortiz's business partner helped Oneil Cruz escape prosecution for a car crash that killed three people
propublica.org
How Oneil Cruz Walked Away From a Deadly Crash With a Fixer's Help
When an accident involving top prospect Oneil Cruz left three dead on a darkened road in the Dominican Republic, secret payoffs helped rescue his career and launched a shadowy business empire.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Fantastic, disturbing reporting from @propublica.org on how "prestamistas" in the DR exploit young prospects and their families, with heartbreaking details on David Ortiz I learned to love baseball playing in mostly Dominican Inwood Little League. The dark side of this beautiful tradition hurts
propublica.org
How the Dominican Baseball Factory Traps Young Players and Their Families With False Promises
Teams make handshake deals with players as young as 11 while moneylenders prey on their families. The industry is corrupt, but Major League Baseball and the players union have done little about it.
110
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
How the cereal industry convinced us that sugary breakfast puffs are the healthy way to start to the day Our new ace food reporter Ana Vanessa Herrero interviews the inimitable @marionnestle.bsky.social on her book "Sugar Coated"
theexamination.org
How the cereal industry engineered its way on to every breakfast table
In her new book “Sugar Coated,” food policy expert Marion Nestle explains how cereal makers marketed, lobbied and outmaneuvered regulators for decades.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Since 2019, FDA inspections of foreign food sites have declined 35%, @apnews.com reports The farm in Mexico that produced the Taylor Farms lettuce linked to the cyclospora outbreak hadn't been inspected in more than six years
nashuatelegraph.com
Cyclospora outbreak followed years of declining FDA foreign inspections
WASHINGTON (AP) — A nationwide outbreak of cyclospora tied to contaminated lettuce has heightened safety concerns about imported food, while underscoring a longer-term trend: U.S. regulators are condu...
011
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The latest in @financialtimes.com's Big Chicken series, which explores how chicken has grown to become the world's most consumed meat That growth is literal - chickens are 4x bigger now than they were in the 1950s!
ft.com
FT video: The world’s insatiable appetite for chicken
Chicken has become the world’s favourite protein. Now the drive to keep costs low is transforming farming and trade — with growing consequences for animal welfare and human health.
012
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
In rural Pakistan, all poultry farms surveyed used antibiotics and most used them without a prescription, a study found. This could fuel the rise of drug-resistant superbugs and the spillover of disease from animals to humans, experts warn
ft.com
The chicken farms that become ‘pathogen sponges’ for superbugs
Pakistan’s poultry houses provide protein for its population but they are also breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant microbes
110
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
JBS has been caught in scandals including widespread bribes to Brazilian inspectors to allow sales of contaminated beef. Now, after it made big donations to Trump and its owner helped Trump's Venezuela policy, it stands to benefit from a recent Trump order allowing duty-free imports of cheap beef
nytimes.com
Opinion | Why Did Trump Order Up 660 Million Pounds of Mystery Meat?
On second thought, I’m not that hungry.
034
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Both houses of California's legislature have unanimously approved a bill creating a voluntary state certification for foods that are not ultraprocessed It now heads to Gov Gavin Newsom, who has until the end of September to sign or veto it
foodnavigator.com
California passes non-UPF food seal, setting potential blueprint for other states
California lawmakers unanimously passed AB 2244, creating a government-backed non-UPF food seal that could influence labeling in other states.
000
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Mike Konczal @mtkonczal.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
BLS this morning, with revised 2Q data: "The labor share, which is the percentage of output that accrues to workers in the form of compensation, was 52.8 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest level in the series, which begins in the first quarter of 1947."
571971817
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Here's our newsletter with a piece on the Monster/Big 12 deal, by @ashleyokwuosa.bsky.social
mailchi.mp
Watchdog investigates EU staff over tobacco meetings
Europe’s top independent watchdog opens an inquiry into undisclosed meetings between EU staff and the tobacco industry, following an investigation by The Examination and Politico.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
We wrote last week about how doctors are objecting to Monster Energy's sponsorship of Big 12 football and basketball, calling it a "brilliant loophole" to get around their promise not to market energy drinks to kids Now Celsius has a deal to sponsor ESPN's College Gameday football pregame show
bevnet.com
CELSIUS Named Official Energy Drink Sponsor of ESPN’s College GameDay in New Multi-Year Agreement
CELSIUS signs on as ESPN College GameDay’s first-ever energy drink sponsor, bringing CELSIUS into th...
110
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Tough, smart look at Trump and RFK Jr's voluntary deals with industry on public health, focused on agreement to phase out food dyes Less than 30% of companies that bought in have met their goals & the deadline was quietly pushed back a year “It’s just all talk,” an expert said
kffhealthnews.org
Trump and Kennedy’s Health Industry Deals Haven’t Been Enforced and Are at Risk of Vanishing - KFF Health News
The agreements, covering issues like drug pricing, reducing the use of synthetic food dyes, and cutting back on insurance prior authorization rules, were announced with fanfare and touted as victories...
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Here's the story www.wired.com/story/why-sa...
wired.com
From Salmonella Eggs to Diarrhea Lettuce, Why This Has Been a Sick Hot American Summer
While Trump administration cuts have contributed to the epidemic of foodborne illnesses this summer, there are also deeper issues that make the American food supply chain susceptible to parasites and ...
001
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Its not your imagination or the media coverage - reports of foodborne illness have spiked more than tenfold this year. More than 90% come from cyclospora. The surge shows "the vulnerabilities in the system—and what happens when you stress the system,” an expert tells @wired.com
120
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Out of 239 lawsuits filed by the food industry in six leading markets worldwide since 2010, 80% were brought in Mexico Crazy statistic from @poplab.bsky.social @lighthousereports.com investigation of Big Food's legal tactics
poplab.mx
Sheinbaum defiende regulación de ultraprocesados ante litigios de la industria | POPLab
La presidenta respaldó el etiquetado y restricciones a refrescos en escuelas y señaló que los amparos de la industria no han procedido.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The European Union's ombudsman is investigating undisclosed meetings between tobacco lobbyists and EU staff, which @theexamination.org revealed last December The ombudsman is requesting materials that could uncover the officials & agencies involved in potential violations of a global tobacco treaty
theexamination.org
Top EU watchdog to investigate tobacco industry’s undisclosed meetings with EU staff
Scrutiny by the EU ombudsman comes after an investigation by The Examination and Politico revealed EU staff took actions that would have benefited Philip Morris International.
013
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Food stamp soda bans have led to a 13% decrease in soda purchases by SNAP users, a new study by @nber.org finds Since the start of the Trump administration, 23 states have received federal permission to bar soda purchases with food stamps, most of them Republican leaning
nytimes.com
Some States Banned the Use of Food Stamps to Buy Soda. Did It Work?
011
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Peru's Congress is considering a food safety law that would require produce to be traceable so that foods found with unsafe levels of pesticides could be recalled. Citizen monitoring found more than half of nearly 300 samples across Peru exceeded pesticide limits, @saludconlupa.com reports
saludconlupa.com
Vuelve al Congreso la reforma para rastrear y retirar alimentos contaminados por pesticidas
La bancada de Ahora Nación presentó una propuesta para modificar la Ley de Inocuidad de los Alimentos y reforzar el control de plaguicidas en frutas y verduras. La iniciativa encarga al Senasa implem…
021
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
And if you're curious what the latest science says about these questions... @ashleyokwuosa.bsky.social has you covered
theexamination.org
Energy drinks are more popular than ever. Here’s what we know about the health risks.
Highly caffeinated energy drinks have been linked to heart problems, obesity and anxiety.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
We've been digging deep into the health risks of energy drinks at @theexamination.org, and there are serious issues at stake But we're also glad to see that @theonion.com is ON IT
theonion.com
Energy Drinks: Myth Vs. Fact
Regulators around the world are cracking down on energy drinks, citing serious health risks associated with high levels of caffeine and sugar. The Onion examines the common myths and facts surrounding...
120
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Policymakers in more than a dozen countries have passed new health rules on energy drinks since the beginning of 2024. But in the world's biggest markets, a battle between health advocates and the beverage industry is brewing. The latest in our #BehindtheBuzz series
theexamination.org
Countries are cracking down on energy drinks. The industry may not go quietly.
Governments in India, the UK and beyond are taking notice as research links energy drinks to health problems.
020
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Christina Jewett @by-cjewett.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
NEW: The Trump administration delayed a rule last year requiring traceback records in 24 hours. It could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination. The case count is up to 24,500 suspected and confirmed cases. 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/h...
nytimes.com
How Cyclospora Evaded the U.S. Food Safety System to Sicken Thousands (Gift Article)
The Trump administration delayed a rule last year that could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination. Critics charge that food safety oversight has eroded overall.
21717
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
You should check out our investigation on this! Red Bull has put a lot of effort into shaping the perceptions of these health risks...
theexamination.org
Is it safe to drink Red Bull and vodka? Dubious research tied to the company has shaped energy drink policy.
The company paid scientists whose studies largely found that mixing energy drinks and alcohol isn’t harmful, contrary to most research.
011
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Cardiac events. Stress and mental health problems. Diabetes and obesity. @ashleyokwuosa.bsky.social and I break down the science on the health risks of energy drinks in our latest story in the #BehindtheBuzz series
theexamination.org
Energy drinks are more popular than ever. Here’s what we know about the health risks.
Highly caffeinated energy drinks have been linked to heart problems, obesity and anxiety.
000
Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
California joins the European Union, China and the UK in banning paraquat, an herbicide linked to Parkinson's disease and other serious health harms It is still widely used in the US, and legal in 48 states
theguardian.com
California bans paraquat, highly toxic herbicide outlawed in more than 70 countries
State is US’s largest user of pesticide that is virtually proven to cause Parkinson’s disease
010
Reposted by Sasha Chavkin
Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
FDA is announcing new GRAS reforms today, which would give consumers insight into the chemical additives in their foods – some, for the first time. More deets, and reactions from some of the top players in this field, including David Kessler, here: www.statnews.com/2026/08/10/r...
statnews.com
FDA to require notice of additives in food supply for the first time
RFK Jr. is claiming a win with a new proposal on the food industry's GRAS loophole; nutrition advocates give mixed reviews.
052