What are We Touching and Eating, Exactly?

Published: March 25, 2015, 10 a.m.

Each and every day we touch and eat things often without giving it a second thought.  We hold on to the handrail walking down the stairs to catch a subway train.  We top a cup of pudding with a little cool whip.  

On this edition of Cityscape, we’re talking with folks who’ve actually given a lot of thought to what we touch and eat -- from subway turnstiles to spray cheese. 

The show features:

  • Chris Mason, a geneticist at the Weill Cornell Medical Center.  He and a team of research assistants collected DNA throughout the New York City subway system to identify germs. 
  • Writer Patrick DiJusto took a good hard look at what’s inside everyday products.  His new book is called This is What You Just Put in Your Mouth?: From Egg Nog to Beef Jerky, the Surprising Secrets of What's Inside Everyday Products.