To promote public education on food issues, particularly with respect to food safety, food additives and food processing, South African Association for Food, Science & Technology (SAAFoST) has established Meritorious Awards for Food Science Journalism. Two Meritorious Awards are offered, one for electronic media and one for printed media; awarding each winner a certificate and a cash prize of R6000.

The awards recognise local journalists who adopt a responsible approach and whose reports are objective and scientifically correct and consequently whose work contributes to sound consumer knowledge and understanding of controversial or complex food issues.

Nominations for submissions are now open and close on 28 February 2013. Any journalist, author, publishing house or media department may submit entries. Any journalist or member of SAAFoST may make nominations for the award. In cases where nominations have been made by a third party, the nominee must countersign the nomination form.

Last year's winner

The winners of the 2011/12 SAAFoST Meritorious Awards for Journalism were Catherine Boome and Karen Key. Boome received the, printed media category award for her article titled, 'Slicing into the organic debate', that appeared in Business Day, Healthnews, on 20 July 2011. Key received the, electronic category award for her, 'Health Matters' interview on expired food products conducted on SAfm on 29 November 2011.