Eating technology: How the FDA failed us and why the future of food might rest in the laboratory

Credit: Alamy
Credit: Alamy

[LA Weekly:] What are the biggest myths of the FDA?

[Ex-FDA Director for Social Science Richard Williams:] The FDA hasn’t made any progress in keeping food safe for decades. That’s probably one of the biggest myths.

For me, the other one is the FDA isn’t helping us at all with nutrition. We’re going in the wrong direction on that.  

Mis- and disinformation are distorting science and public policy. Subscribe to our Daily and Weekly Digests for incisive coverage of ‘disruptive’ innovations in AI, agricultural biotechnology, food, chemicals, nuclear energy, vaccines, and other disruptive innovations.

[LA Weekly:] So what’s the solution?

[Williams:] New proteins like the Impossible burger which have lots of nutritional benefits, are safer. I’m a big fan of genetic engineering, nanosensors and packaging that actually tells you when your food is spoiling. 

I think it’s great that we might have more robots in manufacturing at restaurants because they don’t have diseases like humans do and 3-D food printers in the home to help with food safety. 

[LA Weekly:] Is the future of our food in the lab?

[Williams:] It can be scary stuff and I get it, people don’t want to eat technology. But with problems coming out like the [drought] issues in the west, people are expressing interest in giving alternatives a try.  

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
ChatGPT-Image-Sep-17-2026-12_28_43-PM
Vitamin D, omega-3 fish oil and glucosamine supplements could cause brain damage 
Screenshot-2026-08-19-at-6.19.42-PM
Facts & Fallacies podcast: 'Regenerative farming'? RFK Jr.’s federal push romanticizes the past and risks food security
Screenshot-2026-08-12-at-11.31.46-AM
AI is helping develop new vaccines
ChatGPT-Image-Aug-28-2026-03_33_46-PM
Viewpoint: Bad science—Five bogus Trump administration claims about vaccines and autism
Screenshot-2026-09-14-at-4.31.14-PM
Viewpoint: What’s the likely impact when the EPA loosens rules limiting methane pollution from oil and gas wells?
Screenshot-2026-09-10-at-12.20.19-PM
'Jet fuel didn't melt the steel': 9/11 conspiracy theories debunked
ChatGPT-Image-Sep-9-2026-02_48_24-PM
Viewpoint: Trump-RFK Jr. report on “Gender Ideology & Left-wing Ideology’ targets LGBTQ community—and science
ChatGPT-Image-Sep-13-2026-10_46_11-AM
“Hit the brakes”: Anthropic warns the race to superintelligence could spawn internet-seizing AI swarms—and empower authoritarians. Here’s how to stop it.
Screenshot-2026-09-15-at-11.04.54-AM
Viewpoint: Childhood deaths in dispute: Why the CDC vs Pennsylvania conflict over measles vaccines matters
ChatGPT-Image-Sep-17-2026-10_17_15-AM
Viewpoint: Why are the less intelligent more likely to be conservative—and smarter people more socially liberal?
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.