ANN ARBOR—Foodies of any age and persuasion will find a flavor treat when The Knight-Wallace Fellows at the University of Michigan hosts a one day food conference Sept. 15 to discuss the impact of journalism on how Americans eat.

Journalists, U-M faculty and experts from across the country will gather in Ann Arbor for “The Food Page: The Press and Public Policy,” to discuss everything from journalistic excesses about food writing to technical issues of food distribution, the sociology of food and why celebrity chefs are generally men.

Food columnists, experts and the general public will gather under a tent pitched between the Kerrytown Market and the Ann Arbor’s Farmers Market in the city’s Kerrytown district, to hear discussions on such topics as: Food and American Culture Obesity/Childhood Obesity What Americans Used to Eat Nutrition The Sociology of Food The Culinary Culture of the Ancient World Slow Food What Political and Business Leaders of Today Eat Food Distribution

Panelists include:

Susan Alcock, classicist, U-M’s Kelsey Museum Colman Andrews, editor of Saveur Johnny Apple, food writer for The New York Times Ann Cooper, chef, teacher and author Lee Dean, Minneapolis Star Tribune Larry Gant, professor, U-M’s School of Social Work Carol Haddix, Chicago Tribune Lynne Rosetto Kasper, host of Minnesota Public Radio’s “The Splendid Table” Harvey Levenstein, historian, McMaster University Elizabeth Majestic, assistant secretary for health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention Paula Allen-Mears, dean, U-M’s School of Social Work Marion Nestle, NYU’s Steinardt School of Education Ellen Ruppel Shell, health writer, Atlantic Monthly Kim Severson, San Francisco Chronicle Mimi Sheraton, food writer

The conference is free and open to the public and will run 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The conference will be held at the Kerrytown Market and Shops on North Fifth Avenue.

Sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the conference is presented by the Knight-Wallace Fellows, the U-M School of Social Work and U-M’s Vice President for Communications.

While on leave from regular duties, veteran journalists participating as Knight-Wallace Fellows pursue custom-designed sabbatical studies and attend special, twice-weekly seminars in Wallace House, a gift of CBS newsman Mike Wallace and his wife Mary. Each Fellow receives a stipend, supported by gifts from foundations, news organizations and individuals committed to improving the quality of information reaching the public.