If you engage critical nutrition studies in your work, my colleague Stephanie Maroney (PhD Candidate, Cultural Studies, UC Davis) and I welcome your submissions to join our panel submission to the ASFS/AFHVS/CAFS conference to be held June 22-26, 2016 in Toronto.

The panel, “Interrogating Nutritionism and Dietary Science in Novel Food Products,” examines the discursive effects of the marketing for two novel food products: FairLife Milk (Emily) and the Human Food Bar (Stephanie). The panel explores the relationship between the cultural values that animate these advertising messages and the scientific research that supports these products.

Drawing from the field of Science and Technology Studies, critical studies of nutrition recognize and reveal the ways that scientific knowledge is not neutral, natural, or objective – rather, it is co-constituted alongside sociocultural values and beliefs. By looking at the history and politics of dietary advice, we can better explain and account for the assumptions that structure contemporary nutrition science and the marketing claims used to differentiate products in our health-centric culture.

We seek additional papers that critically examine the role of nutrition science in the production of knowledge and narratives. Papers that explore a specific food item and/or food marketing are especially welcomed, but not required. Charlotte Biltekoff, Associate Professor of American Studies and Food Science & Technology at UC Davis and author of Eating Right in America: the Cultural Politics of Food and Health, will provide commentary and moderate the session.

Email abstract (title + 250 words) and short bio (100 words) to Stephanie (srmaroney [at] ucdavis.edu) and Emily (emily_contois [at] brown.edu) by Wednesday, January 27.