The Food We Flush: Using Wastewater to Understand What Durham Eats Tabling Event
Date: Sat, Aug 15, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Venue: Main Library – Main Library - Café area - 2nd floor, Durham
Price: Free
Category: Family
<p><span style="font-size:16px;">Stop by the lobby area at the Main Library to learn from Edible Atlas about an innovative new research project in the community. </span></p> <p class="elementtoproof"><span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="background:white"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"><span style="color:#212121">The project “Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for Community-Level Dietary Assessment” is currently underway in Durham, led by a team of researcher from Duke in partnership with the City of Durham. The project uses a novel approach to measure leftover food DNA in wastewater samples to better understand neighborhood-level dietary patterns across Durham, with potential for future expansion beyond the city. The team is also examining how neighborhood food environments, reflected through wastewater-based dietary patterns, relate to health outcomes. Ultimately, the project aims to support local health programs, food access efforts, and broader understanding of the relationship between nutrition and wellness.</span></span></span></span></p> <p class="elementtoproof"><span style="font-size:16px;">Researchers will be present to share about this project, answer questions about how food DNA is extracted from wastewater, and provide an opportunity for community comments on what should be done with this data.
