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Cofounder & Research Director (Volunteer)

Elise Hutchinson, PhD

Elise is a cofounder of foodfacts.org, she has a PhD in cognitive linguistics and focuses on fighting misinformation & creating meaningful debate.

About Elise Hutchinson, PhD

Elise is one of the founders of foodfacts.org. She is a linguistics professional who was awarded Summa Cum Laude for her PhD thesis, which focused on the cognitive and discursive mechanisms behind effective persuasion, particularly in the long term. She is passionate about finding ways to fight against the spread of misinformation and disinformation, and to generate meaningful, constructive debates.

She is Director of Research and Co-Editor in Chief at foodfacts.org. Her responsibilities include:

Conducting research into misinformation, its mechanisms and evidence-based methods to fight it effectively
Training all of our volunteer fact-checkers
Overseeing the fact-checking process, from selecting claims to fact-checks, writing fact-checks to editing final drafts
Content creation
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Elise earned her PhD at the Université de Neuchâtel and currently lives in England.

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Articles featuring

Elise Hutchinson, PhD

Untangling microwaves myths: a physics-based reality check

Microwaves don't make food radioactive or destroy nutrients — the physics makes this clear. Here's what the evidence actually says about microwave safety.

Fibre under fire: debunking Eddie Abbew's claims that humans don’t need it

We fact-check recent claims by Eddie Abbew that fibre isn't essential, reviewing the science on its role in digestion, immunity, and long-term disease prevention.

Toxic bread or TikTok panic? What you should know about azodicarbonamide (aka the yoga mat chemical)

Azodicarbonamide is found in some breads and yoga mats — but the doses differ by millions. Here's what the science says about the actual risk to consumers.

Paul Saladino’s anti-folic acid advice for pregnant women is not just wrong—it could be dangerous

Folic acid in pregnancy: evidence-based guidance vs. viral claims. We explain what Paul Saladino’s claims show - and don’t show - plus red flag checks.

Exposing misinformation: how influencers twist the truth on social media

Misinformation Detractors: How Social Media Influencers Deflect Accountability in Nutrition Conversations

Gut health vs. life-threatening peanut allergies: Why one viral story doesn’t equal a safe cure

Can cure severe allergies through healing your gut? Before people start swapping their EpiPen for sauerkraut, let's examine what the evidence says.

Is excess iron a cancer risk? Debunking Dr Eric Berg’s claim with peer-reviewed evidence

Eric Berg warns against iron supplements linking them to cancer — but the evidence on iron and cancer risk is far more nuanced than his claims suggest.

“I changed my diet and got pregnant”: What’s the evidence behind these claims?

Fertility influencers claim specific diets trigger pregnancy — but evidence for dietary interventions on fertility is limited. Here's what research…

Garlic and blood pressure: what the evidence shows and what it doesn’t

Garlic may reduce blood pressure modestly in some people, but the evidence is inconsistent. It is not a substitute for medication — here's the full…

Is ginger good for you? Or are the benefits of this "superfood" overstated?

Many people eat ginger when they're feeling unwell, but are ginger's health benefits anecdotal or based in evidence? We find out in this fact-check!

Exposing misinformation: how influencers twist the truth on social media

Misinformation Detractors: How Social Media Influencers Deflect Accountability in Nutrition Conversations

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