Industry Influence? Of Course

One panel on sweeteners in schools was sponsored by the Corn Refiners Association, whose members produce high fructose corn syrup.

Inside the exhibition hall, Hershey's was handing out chocolate and strawberry milk, and Butter Buds gave out fake butter crystals.

"These nutritionists and dietitians were here getting continuing education credits," says Butler. "So going to this conference and attending these sessions is something that they need to do to keep up their accreditation. These people work in all kinds of places. They work in school cafeterias, hospital cafeterias; they work in corporate settings — these are really the gatekeepers of our nutritional information."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/05/14/312460302/how-food-companies-court-nutrition-educators-with-junk-food

Let the buyer - in this case of information - beware.  The soft influence is inevitable.