Edward Blonz, PhD, MS

JAD profile

Affiliation(s): 

University of California at San Francisco

ORCID URL: 

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6650-9526

Areas of Interest: 

Nutrition biochemistry, public health, epigenetics

Biography & Research: 

Edward Blonz earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of California at Davis, and he has more than thirty years of experience in the fields of food, food science, nutrition, and health. His Master's degree research was on a topic in food toxicology, and work for his Doctoral degree focused on the role of insulin in the development of obesity. Formerly on the faculty at the University of Minnesota, Blonz currently holds a position as Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of California, San Francisco. He is a member of the American Society for Nutrition and has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition, as well as a fellow of The Obesity Society. Dr. Blonz is also a member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, the National Association of Science Writers, the Association of Food Journalists, and a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists. Dr. Blonz's primary field is Forensic Nutrition; he serves as analyst and testifying expert in claims substantiation issues involving foods, dietary supplements and health products, working in this capacity for the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorneys General of 27 states and the District of Columbia, for District Attorneys in the State of California, and for attorneys of the private bar. He is also a founding member and chair of the Dietary Supplement Safety Committee in California. He works to analyze metabolic issues to help understand public health dilemmas and biochemical mysteries, having published articles on origins of the obesity epidemic, methods to control Ebola and the Zika virus and, most recently on the metabolic origins of Alzheimer's disease. His public outreach involves a syndicated column, "On Nutrition," a weekly column that responds to reader questions. This column has been in continuous publication since 1990 and it available in newspapers around the country and internationally, available online. Dr. Blonz posts on Twitter (@blonz), Facebook and LinkedIn; his articles have appeared in magazines as well. He has written eight books on foods, nutrition, and health, and has won the James Beard Foundation Award for writing on diet, nutrition, and health. He serves on the editorial board of the University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter, and also maintains an award-winning web page, The Blonz Guide Edward Blonz offers a unique twist on health, one that helps to demystify complex issues while providing fresh perspectives on foods and nutrition. He has been featured on the CBS news shows "48 Hours" and "Day & Date," and NBC's "Real Life," and has been called "a voice of reason in the midst of confusing and often-conflicting claims."