It perhaps shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise when news of a project to tackle methane emissions by the dairy industry led to a wave of misinformation and calls to boycott butter.

After all, this is a world where the incoming U.S. health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., considers fluoride ¡ª a mineral credited with protecting millions of children from the dangers of bad teeth ¡ª a neurotoxin and says raw milk ¡ª which may contain pathogens including H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu ¡ª has been unfairly kept from Americans. And yet, after years of research, safety trials and usage in herds, the plan to sanitize cow burps has prompted a backlash driven by social media, catching those involved off guard.

A November announcement from dairy co-operative Arla Foods that it was joining forces with U.K. retailers Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco to trial the use of Bovaer, a feed additive that reduces the methane emissions produced as cows digest their food, has sparked outrage and misplaced concern. Many of the claims being made by concerned consumers on social media are baseless, highlighting a new risk for companies: Even if you¡¯re transparent about a new product or technology, the internet outrage machine will invent its own narrative.

The problem the project addresses is real enough. Beef and dairy products are extremely carbon-intensive food items. That¡¯s partly down to land-use change ¡ª particularly in locations such as Brazil, where pristine rainforest is cut down to make way for enormous cattle ranches and feed crops ¡ª but it¡¯s also due to the methane produced through digestion and manure.

All ruminants ¡ª animals such as sheep, cows, goats and even giraffes ¡ª produce methane as the food in their digestive tract goes through a process of enteric fermentation. A few burps and farts might seem harmless, but the sheer size of the global beef and dairy herd makes this quite significant. Meat and dairy accounts for 14.5% of global emissions and about half of that pollution is down to methane, a short-lived but far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

The most effective way to cut down on these emissions on an individual level is to stop eating the foodstuffs ¡ª or reduce the amount you consume. Adopting a vegan diet can cut dietary emissions by as much as 75% when compared to those of high-meat eaters. Yet, given how food is tied up with personal preferences, cultural practices, health and allergy concerns, the chances of everyone on the planet ditching animal products seems slim.

So the solution is likely to be a mix of opting for more plant-based foods, improving efficiency and introducing new technologies ¡ª including ways to...