It’s no secret that the food and health world has long been filled with myths and misinformation. But combine that with the speedy delivery of the internet and it’s accessibility to just about anyone, and you’ve got a mess.

Tony Labriola is the group account director of food and health for MullenLowe U.S., but more importantly, his job is to provide the correct information to the public.

Labriola will be moderating the session “Eat This Panel (If you Dare),” exploring food misinformation and confusion in the modern world.

“Over the years I’ve had to combat lots and lots of different food myths,” Labriola said.

MullenLowe has a scientific advisory board, to help them put out the most accurate info they can.

“We’re really measured about what we will and won’t say and it all has to be based in sound science,” he said. “At the same time, people on social media can say anything.”

Not only can social media say anything, but social media plays a role in providing us with content similar to those we already view, comment on, like, share, etc. Labriola says confirmation bias comes into play, and we continue to consume news that reiterates our beliefs.

“What I choose to read and share and comment on, I’m going to be getting more of that information,” Labriola said. “We become our own echo chambers.”

However, Labriola says he thinks the American public has good intentions of staying informed, and as a society, trying to become more in tuned to what we consume.

He also says he doesn’t think most companies try to lead the consumer astray with labeling, but rather that the consumer is confused by the conflicting information constantly thrown at them on the internet and other media.

“I think for the American public that becomes really confusing and frustrating. One week we read that eggs are bad for us and they’re going to give us high cholesterol and then two weeks later, eggs are good for us and they’re a good source of protein,” he said. “When you want specific answers, ‘What should I eat?’ it gets really hard.”

The panel will discuss a lot of terms that Labriola says carry more weight than they should to the consumer, like “all natural” and “organic.” They’ll also look at gluten, MSGs, additives, sugar, salt and what these mean to our diet.

“We’re going to start by taking people back. It feels like a new phenomenon, but it’s not new. Food purity and all that goes back centuries,” he said. “Then we’re going to dive into some of the current food trends and how they started, how social media perpetuated them and what that means.”

Labriola is the moderator to the panel, which will also include James Hamblin, a science writer at The Atlantic Monthly; Alan Levinovitz, professor or religion at James Madison University and author of “The Gluten Lie;” and SciBabe blogger Yvette d’Entremont.

When and where:
Sunday, March 13
5-6 p.m.
The Driskill – 604 Brazos St / The Driskill Ballroom