Food is essential, but it is also threatening, so as to feed fears, hoaxes and myths. "The various forms of communication do not exist only to tell the truth. The communication is ambiguous, full of possible misunderstandings and possible lies, often involuntary. The task of the journalist is to try to
deny the buffaloes, but also to help people understand why energy is deposited in as many food fears ".
Peppino Ortoleva, president of the degree course in Communication Sciences of the University of Turin, to explain "Food fears and contemporary myths" al
Festival of Food Journalism. In dialogue with
Carlo De Blasio, editor-in-chief of RAI Piedmont, Ortoleva explained that "myths are present in all cultures. While those of the past were mainly sacred, today's myths are mainly concerned with food fears". Among the most widespread myths in every age and place, the possibility that food contains something poisonous and can harm not only individual but entire communities. "Then there is
the fear of unnatural food - added Ortoleva - like the one containing GMOs. The widespread idea that food hurts is becoming one of the great themes of contemporary culture ". Not surprisingly, on the shelves of supermarkets multiply the products" without palm oil "," gluten-free "," without caffeine "."
Deprived food - added Ortoleva - was born in the years' 50 with decaffeinated coffee, it is in recent years that it has had a great diffusion. This is a giant marketing discovery,
they sell products thanks to what they do not contain. It is a marketing refined from the point of view of cunning, expensive products are sold, for a medium-high market range ". What can be done, therefore, to counter false myths and hoaxes?" I find that the idea of simply contrast the idea of truth with falsehood - explained Ortoleva - to be nice, but not decisive. With myths we need to talk, not pretend to deny them, but try to understand them together with the people who believe in it ".
