Michael F. Jacobson

Michael F. Jacobson (born July 29, 1943) is an American scientist and nutrition advocate. He holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Jacobson co-founded the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) in 1971, along with two fellow scientists (James B. Sullivan, Albert J. Fritsch) he met while working at the Center for the Study of Responsive Law in Washington, DC. When his colleagues left CSPI in 1977, Jacobson became its executive director. In 2017 he stepped down (and was replaced by Peter Lurie) and held the position of Senior Scientist. He remained on the board of directors of the organization until 2022. He has been a national leader in the movement for healthier diets, focusing both on education and obtaining laws and regulations. It was Jacobson who coined the now widely used phrases "junk food" and "food porn". In 2022 Jacobson founded the National Food Museum.