New study in Globalization and Health
- Confronting Potential Food Industry ‘Front Groups’: Case Study of the International Food Information Council’s nutrition communications using the UCSF food industry documents archive, by Sarah Steele, Lejla Sarcevic, Gary Ruskin and David Stuckler (2.12.22)
Results
We identified 75 documents which evidence that prominent individuals with long careers in the food industry view IFIC as designed to: 1) advance industry public relations goals; 2) amplify the messages of industry-funded research organizations; and 3) place industry approved experts before the press and media, in ways that conceal industry input. We observed that there were in some cases efforts made to conceal and dilute industry links associated with IFIC from the public’s view.
Conclusions
IFIC’s promotion of evidence for the food industry should be interpreted as marketing strategy for those funders. Effective science communication may be obfuscated by undeclared conflicts of interests.
See also the U.S.Right to Know fact sheet on the International Food Information Council: IFIC: How Big Food Spins Bad News about Pesticides, Sweeteners and Processed Foods