"Yikes! There are cockroaches in my chocolate ice cream!"
No, there really are no cockroaches in chocolate ice cream.  But one of my radio listeners did jump to this conclusion after misinterpreting what had been said about a certain food colorant.  Being on one end of a microphone and in front of television cameras for over forty years has afforded some fascinating insight into the public’s perception of science.  It has also provided an opportunity to separate sense from nonsense particularly in the area of food and nutrition. 
 

Joe Schwarcz PhD
Director
McGill University Office for Science and Society

Joe Schwarcz has a PhD in chemistry and is Director of McGill University’s “Office for Science and Society” which has the mission of separating sense from nonsense. He is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching chemistry and for interpreting science for the public. “Dr Joe” has hosted a radio show on science for forty-three years, has appeared hundreds of times on television, writes a regular newspaper column and is the author of nineteen best-sellers. He has been awarded four honorary doctorates. Prof. Schwarcz with colleague Prof. David Harpp, teaches a course on “Drugs” and one on “Food” that hold the record for the largest enrolment for any university course in Canada. Professor Schwarcz is also an amateur magician, often spicing up his presentations with a little magic.