Macfrut 2018
Fresh-cut produce, science and fake news
The workshop aims to clear up some of the most popular beliefs related to fresh-cut produce in order to illustrate facts from a scientific point of view.
Click here for the flyer with the program.
All over the world, fresh-cut produce represents a very important portion of the fresh produce market: ready to use fresh fruit and vegetables, trimmed, sliced, shredded, washed and conveniently packaged, they convey additional services to the consumer and make much simpler the consumption of this highly recommended food.
"Since fresh-cut produce has become more and more popular it has often caught the attention of the mass media" says Giancarlo Colelli, Professor at the University of Foggia, scientific coordinator of the event, "and in the last few years the pros and cons of fresh-cut produce have been described more and more often - usually with the objective of making the front page rather than to deliver the correct information."
Ready to eat fruit and vegetables have been presented as extremely expensive, with a lower nutritional value, crammed with chemical preservatives, infested by dangerous microrganisms, treacherous for the environment, and even potentially causing cancer.
Many of these supposed truths often bounce back and forth within social networks, where the possibility to discern false from true on this, as well as on other questions, becomes more and more problematic.
"As they are very vital topics, related to health, to eating habits, and to the shopping patterns of households, delivering correct information is of paramount importance" says Renzo Piraccini, President of Macfrut.
During the Workshop, first-class international scientists will discuss the state of the art on some of the hot-topics related to these products, presenting their results, aiming to make it clear to industry and media representatives how to separate real news from the fakes.
For further information:
postharvest@unifg.it
fabbri@agenziaprimapagina.it
www.facebook.com/events/110052569847352/