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

Elise earned her PhD at the Université de Neuchâtel and currently lives in England.

Articles featuring  

Elise Hutchinson, PhD

FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

Does eating croissants really raise cancer risk? Fact-checking France’s cadmium warning and what it means for the UK

France’s cadmium warning is real, but croissants aren’t uniquely “cancerous” – the risk comes from lifelong exposure to cadmium in many staples.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

Can a cup of lemon balm tea really melt fat overnight?

Lemon tea and magnesium may help you unwind, but current studies don’t show a bedtime drink can melt belly fat by “lowering cortisol” or hacking your hormones.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

How viral posts about "unnatural" apples may be missing what the science actually shows

Modern apples have been selectively bred, but does that make them bad for you? The science suggests otherwise.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

No, pork isn’t a superfood: How one tiny study spawned misleading ‘live longer’ headlines

Debunk the viral “pork helps you live longer” claim with an evidence-based breakdown of the study, its limitations, and what nutrition science really says.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Media Literacy

Exposing misinformation: how influencers twist the truth on social media

Misinformation Detractors: How Social Media Influencers Deflect Accountability in Nutrition Conversations
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

Is acrylamide the most dangerous ingredient in your food?

Why saying that Acrylamide is the most dangerous hidden ingredient ignores the basic science about cooking food
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Nutrition

Red 3 in the spotlight: should you stop eating cocktail cherries?

Social media posts often compare EU and US food safety regulations. We explore the relevance of such comparisons around food additives and cancer links.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

Are non-organic strawberries unsafe? Examining the evidence

Strawberries and pesticide residues: what you need to know
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Nutrition

Do vegans lack protein and amino acids? A balanced look at the evidence

It turns out that bold claims about protein tend to ignore the nuances in the research.
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Health

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!
FACT CHECK
Opinion
Media Literacy

Exposing misinformation: how influencers twist the truth on social media

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