Cornell food researcher defends his work

NEW YORK (AP) — A prominent food researcher is defending his work a day after Cornell University said he engaged in academic misconduct and was removed from all teaching and research positions.

Brian Wansink said he never committed fraud and that the issues identified by the university's investigation were relatively minor.

Among the issues that Cornell cited Thursday were "misreporting of research data" and "problematic statistical techniques."

Wansink said in a statement Friday his work had some statistical mistakes and other issues, but that he never intentionally misreported data. He said he believes all his findings will be supported by others.

Wansink, who has helped update the U.S. dietary guidelines, resigned and will leave Cornell in June. The split was announced after a top medical journal retracted six of his papers this week.

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"Professor Wansink has tendered his resignation and will be retiring from Cornell at the end of this academic year. He has been removed from all teaching and research," Cornell Provost Michael Kotlikoff said in a statement. "Instead, he will be obligated to spend his time cooperating with the university in its ongoing review of his prior research."