A Thematic Analysis of Hoaxes Debunked by Newtral and Maldita Alimentación

(1) Background: The incidence and impact of misleading information on public opinion in the field of nutrition and food science, focusing on the mechanisms of dissemination and their potential consequences, are increasingly being explored in academia. It is therefore essential to highlight the importance of studying discourse to understand the contexts and motivations behind the persistent circulation of hoaxes. For this reason, this research compiles and analyses the news content on food fake news published in the web repository of Spanish information verifiers Newtral and Maldita Alimentación. (2) Method: The period analysed extends from the launches of both platforms (2018 and 2021, respectively) to 2024, examining a total of 564 news items using computerised analysis software. (3) Results: The results show three thematic clusters related to the information refuted by Newtral and five clusters belonging to Maldita Alimentación. The findings of this research are consistent with a prevalence of concern for public health; the risk of disease due to poor food management; the role of authorities, especially in the European context; the supervision of food quality and the protection of public health; and the debunking of messages about food properties without scientific evidence. (4) Conclusions: The article highlights the importance of implementing strategies that foster trust in information sources, such as fact-checkers, and encourage the scientific dissemination of food-related content in an accessible manner.