New Food Facts community to empower media and scientists to fight food misinformation together
Last Updated : 24 October 2023Join the Food Facts Community to debunk food misinformation and help build public science literacy
Brussels, 25th October – Are plant-based patties healthier than their meaty counterparts? What are the real effects of additives? Have you ever needed to talk to an expert on sugar, but you did not have any contact, spending hours to reach one? The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) has the solution for communicators, who are looking for expert knowledge, as well as experts who would like to increase their science communication activities.
In a bid to enhance the quality of food-related reporting and counter misinformation on food EUFIC is launching its online community Food Facts during the Global Media and Information Literacy Week. The initiative aims to provide a platform for the exchange of information between media and experts with insights in the realm of healthy and sustainable nutrition, including topics that frequently appear in the news such as sugar, fats, food additives (such as sweeteners), processed food, obesity or diabetes.
Benefits for media and experts to join the network
The Food Facts community is part of the Sustainable Food System Network (SFSN), which counts already over 2,000 experts and has garnered widespread recognition for its contributions to informed reporting in the field of nutrition and food systems as a whole.
EUFIC therefore invites communicators, such as journalists and media professionals to join. The free membership offers them the opportunity to improve the accuracy of their reporting by tapping into a network of experts, expanding their sources, accessing authoritative quotes for their stories and quick responses to their doubts and queries.
On the other hand, experts get the opportunity to increase their visibility in the news, and to build their science communication experience.
Activities organised for the group
The group is an immediate access point for resources and discussions on the topic with a wider network of communicators and scientists.
The group will be moderated by EUFIC's community managers, stimulating discussions between members, creating monthly newsletters, as well as individual support sessions. In addition, a group of Ambassadors, experts in a variety of fields who have a passion for science communication, will play a vital role in clarifying complex subjects and providing valuable insights.
"I joined the SFS network to connect with colleagues who share my passion for the promotion of sustainable food systems and to contribute to the spread of science-based knowledge in this field. Given that sustainable food systems are an emerging and crucial topic, misinformation is sometimes unavoidable. For this reason, it is important that science communicators and journalists work together to fight against misinformation, being the SFSN the perfect ground for this to happen." said Júlia Muñoz Martínez, Researcher in Sustainable Eating and Nutrition, Ambassador of the Food Facts Community.
Food Facts will organise webinars on a regular basis. EUFIC will soon announce the first webinar taking place mid-November. This event will bring together experts from various fields to discuss and dissect current issues and misinformation related to food and nutrition.
For more information about the Food Facts community and how to get involved, join here.
About EUFIC
EUFIC is a consumer-oriented non-profit organisation founded to make the science behind food and health more accessible and easier to understand among the public. EUFIC’s mission is to produce science-based content to inspire and empower healthier and more sustainable diets and lifestyles among European citizens.
For more about EUFIC: https://www.eufic.org/
Contact
Marie-Christine Thurm, Media relations, EUFIC, marie-christine.thurm@eufic.org
The dissemination of this research is co-funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the agency can be held responsible for them.