Free online event separates food fact from fiction

07-Jan-2013 - Last updated on 07-Jan-2013 at 11:22 GMT

The event will frame food science in terms of consumer acceptability

Does the mainstream media's coverage of food science and technology make you fume? Do you long for more scientific sense in the ongoing debates about genetic modification (GM), nanotechnology, food irradiation, antimicrobial treatments and other topics - within a framework of public acceptability?

If so, then our free webinar Food fact and fiction, separating science from myth is for you.

This live webinar organised by FoodManufacture.co.uk in association with the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) will take place at 11am GMT on Thursday, January 24, 2013.

Our aim is to move the debate about challenging food science and technology topics onto a more secure scientific footing.

Industry experts

To help achieve this, we have enlisted the expertise of a number of industry experts. These include the Food Standards Agency (FSA), food safety watchdog Which? and Leatherhead Food Research. Dealing with a host of topical food science and technology topics, the webinar aims to identify problems and opportunities in the perception and reporting of food science-related issues.

To help bring clarity to these controversial topics, our line-up of expert speakers will include FSA chief scientist Andrew Wadge, Which? chief policy adviser Sue Davies and Leatherhead Food Research principal consumer analyst Nicole Patterson.

Each will give a short online presentation, which will be followed by a live question and answer session.

The chief scientist will offer a regulatory perspective on food science and technology, while the chief policy adviser of Which? will place the debate in the framework of consumer acceptability.

Consumers’ perceptions

Patterson will reveal recent research that uncovers consumers’ perceptions about the communication and application of nanotechnology and GM topics.

The webinar is aimed at anyone in the industry who welcomes a debate based on science and technology rather than mere prejudice. It will also be particularly useful to food sector communicators, food science and technology policy-makers, and government science policy makers.

Click here to book your place for this free webinar. The webinar, which starts at 11am GMT will run for one hour. Towards the end of our webinar, our question and answer session will allow you to put questions directly to our key speakers.

Alternatively, you can email your questions in advance to michael.stones@wrbm.com. We will choose the best ones to put to our expert team.