Engaging with Controversies in the Food System

Each week focuses on one controversy, explains what it is and how it is understood by differently situated stakeholders in the food sector. Learners are encouraged (as consumers) to take a critical stance on the different perspectives held by different stakeholders and adjust their practice accordingly. Week 1: Introduction and Alternative Proteins Week 2: Palm oil in food and related products Week 3: The use of probiotics Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is for anyone curious about what their food contains, and what this means for their health and the environment. Professionals in the food and environment sectors will find this course useful for providing an up to date analysis of topical debates. Teachers may also find this course a useful resource for their students studying food science subjects.

• What do we mean by the term ‘controversies’?
• Assessing the reliability of different sources of information.
• Overview of alternative proteins (especially insects as protein for human consumption).
• The pros and cons of alternative proteins and why they’re needed.
• Discover the wide variety of products palm oil is found in.
• Understand the issues at stake, from the perspectives of nutrition, the environment and worker welfare.
• Find out how industry is adapting its practices.
• The history of probiotics and their benefits to human health.
• Learn about the processes involved in probiotic development, from discovery to product certification.
• Gain confidence in analyzing advertisements and health claims.