NOTES FROM THE SCIENTIFIC DEPARTMENT.

VRG in the News

VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, was interviewed by KSLR radio in San Antonio, Texas, for a story about teenage vegetarians. This interview followed a story that ran in the San Antonio Express-News in which VRG staff member, Drew Nelson, was quoted on the subject.

Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala, MS, RD, was interviewed by the Reuters News Service for a story about conditioned eating behavior. She was also a guest on a radio program in Honolulu, Hawaii, discussing a variety of aspects of vegetarian diets.

VRG's Food Service Advisor, Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, was interviewed on KIEV radio (in Los Angeles) about power bars and meal replacements. She was able to mention vegetarian alternatives.

Nancy also did a presentation at EarthDay at California State, Long Beach, on how eating vegan saves the planet. Finally, she was asked to judge a Children's Cookbook Contest for National Educational Broadcasting. Her selection was Mollie Katzen's Honest Pretzels, a vegetarian cookbook for older children.

VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, Does Presentation at the Connecticut Dietetic Association Meeting

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, gave a talk titled "Raising Vegetarian Children: Infancy Through Adolescence" at this year's Connecticut Dietetic Association Annual Meeting. The session focused on the nutritional needs of vegetarian infants, children, and adolescents and how these needs can be met. Considerations in counseling each age group were also addressed.

Beano Is Not Vegetarian

According to the "Beano Food Enzyme Dietary Supplement," issued by the Block Drug Company, Inc., liquid Beano contains fish gelatin as a processing aid/enzyme stabilizer. The tablet form also contains fish gelatin for the same purpose.

VRG Hosted by Vegetarian Society of Hawaii

VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala presented a free public lecture titled "Nutrition for Smarties: Vegetarian Diets in 2000" in Honolulu. The lecture was sponsored by the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii and drew over eighty attendees. Nutrition education materials, including samples of the Vegetarian Journal, brochures, and meal-planning guides for vegetarian children, were distributed. The lecture was taped by VSH member William Harris, MD, for broadcast on Hawaiian public access television.

Vegan in Volume Assigned as the New Textbook for Culinary Arts Course

L.A. Trade Tech has adopted Nancy Berkoff's Vegan in Volume for its first semester culinary arts nutrition text, beginning in September. The school has also approved a one-credit Vegetarian Nutrition course to be run in Spring, 2001.

Note from Cheryl Craig, RD, in California:

"Just wanted to let you know I did include VRG handouts and sample books on my Vegetarian Nutrition DPG table at our state convention in Palm Springs, CA. As usual, your information is incredibly popular and just flies off of the table!! I would be absolutely amazed if you didn't get some new subscribers and/or inquiries as a result."

Veggie RDs Needed in Hawaii

Hawaii's Castle Medical Center (a member of Adventist Health) is looking for vegetarian registered dietitians to serve as clinical dietitians, and vegetarian cuisine cooks to prepare meals for patients and for its vegetarian cafeteria restaurant (the Pall Gardens). Castle Medical Center is the leading medical center in Hawaii, promoting wellness and vegetarian nutrition, and is part of the Seventh-day Adventist Health System.

For more information about Castle Medical Center, see its website <www.castlemed.com>. If interested in learning more about the positions above, contact John Westerdahl, MPH, RD, CNS, Director of Health Promotion and Nutritional Services, Castle Medical Center, 640 Ulukahiki Street, Kailua, HI 96734, or call [phone].