In 2004 Renee Joy Dufault, at the time a U.S. Food and Drug Administration scientist, discovered the plumbing systems of many food processing plants were contaminated by mercury. Upon further research she found the mercury, a highly toxic metal, evident in the high-fructose corn syrup used by these food manufacturers to sweeten and enhance the shelf life of processed food commonly found in grocery stores.

“When I reported these findings, I was told to stop my investigation,” said Dufault, 58, in a phone interview from Hawaii island, where she now lives.

As she pushed for further research and public awareness of the health risks of processed food, she repeatedly hit a dead end. She chose to take early retirement in 2008 and went on to published numerous scientific articles on the subject.

In 2010 Dufault founded the nonprofit Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, dedicated to food safety, education and research.

Her new book, “Unsafe at Any Meal: What the FDA Does Not Want You to Know About the Foods You Eat,” was published last month. It discusses the various toxins found in the food supply and how they affect genes, health and the environment. Dufault also focuses on the Standard American Diet, which she says is lacking in disease-preventing nutrients, and the overconsumption of processed food.

A resident of Naalehu, Dufault said she is working to make changes at a grass-roots level and encourages others to do the same. She lives on a small agricultural plot where she tends to her fruit and vegetable garden. She spends time with her six grandchildren every summer and runs online nutrition workshops for community groups during the school year.

“We need to teach young people about healthy eating and teach them to cook. It should be a part of the educational process,” she said. “Every school should have a garden.”

Here’s more from our interview:

QUESTION: What food additives should be avoided altogether or used sparingly?

ANSWER: Remove all corn sweeteners and vegetable oils from the diet. That wipes out most of the processed foods. Limit sugar intake and maybe have a treat once a week. For example, if you’re going to buy ice cream, buy a high-end product like Haagen-Dazs. Those with hypertension should avoid anything with added sodium.

Q: What can parents do to introduce more nutritious foods into their child’s diet?

A: Clean out all the bad foods from the kitchen cupboards, refrigerator and freezer. Only buy whole, organic foods or mildly processed foods that have healthy food ingredient labels. Fix healthy meals; no more fast-food restaurants. Don’t worry: Kids will eat when they get hungry. They’ll eat what’s there.

Q: What health threats do pesticides pose?

A: Pesticide exposure is a known factor in the development of many of the Western disease conditions including autism, ADHD, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. And I’m talking about the pesticides currently in use. To become a healthier population, we need to switch to a food economy where our foods are grown locally using sustainable, organic farming methods. We can freeze or can the old-fashioned way. This can obviously be accomplished more easily in rural areas.

Q: What are some foods that carry pesticide residue?

A: The average American eats nearly 100 pounds of wheat each year, with a good percentage of it contaminated by the organophosphate pesticide malathion and at least one other pesticide. That is what the USDA data tells us. Pesticide residues do not leave wheat during the baking process. I am talking about bread, cookies, pizza and other processed foods made from contaminated wheat.

Q: What do you feel is the most important piece of information readers can take away from the book?

A: Everyone can benefit and feel better by making the dietary changes I recommend in “Unsafe at Any Meal.” If you are sick, no matter what your diagnosis, making healthy dietary changes will improve your quality of life. If you’re healthy, you can stay healthy by switching to a healthy diet.

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A “Healthy Diet” tutorial can be found at foodingredient.info.

“Be Well” spotlights health and fitness topics and activities. Reach Nancy Arcayna at narcayna@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4808.