The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "allergens" ...
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Mattress Man
Local mattress retailer Handy Dandy Woods sells old used mattresses, re-covering them and passing them off to customers as new. The WHEC team took a hidden camera to the store and purchased mattresses and box springs, later cutting them open to expose filthy old mattresses. They also tested the mattresses for allergens and spoke with people who had bought mattresses from the same store. They also tracked down the person who had "rebuilt" the bedding.
Tags: Mattress; allergens; asthma; consumer fraud
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Pandora's Pantry
Mother Jones investigates "the worldwide revolt over gene-altered foods [that] has begun to take root in this country." Critics of genetically engineered, or GE, crops say such food products could "create unexpected new allergens or contaminate products in unanticipated ways, resulting in threats to public health... In addition, many scientists fear that bio-engineered crops could spark widespread ecological damage, creating insecticide-resistant bugs and herbicide-resistant 'superweeds' that would make kudzu and purple look like so many summer dandelions." Mother Jones discovered that the Food and Drug Administration ignored the objections of several scientists concerning the safety of GE foods and products.
Tags: genetic engineering; GE; foods; health; safety; Food and Drug Administration; FDA; gene-altered; bio-engineered crops