Risk Communication during Risk Communication during Food Product RecallsFood Product Recalls
By
Robert B. Gravani, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science
Cornell University
National Center for Food Protection &
Defense
at the
University of MinnesotaDefending the safety of the food system
through research and education
IN THE NEWS…
183 people in 18 states confirmed
ill with Salmonellosis
traced to contaminated
tomatoes
204 people ill with E. coli O157:H7, 3 deaths in 26 states
Notable National Recalls
Characteristics of a Food RecallCharacteristics of a Food Recall
• Possibility of harm to consumers
• Potential to significantly damage reputation
• Involve multiple audiences and stakeholders
• Of interest to the media
• Often unique, involving many foods
Adapted from Andrew, 2009
Food Product RecallsFood Product Recalls
• 1999 279
• 2000 384
• 2001 393
• 2002 396
• 2003 266
• 2004 293
• 2005 255
• 2006 240
• 2007 338
• 2008 565
Year Recalls Year Recalls
Food Institute Report, 2009
Food Product RecallsFood Product Recalls• According to the Food Institute Report,
565 food and beverage recalls in 2008 are the highest ever!
• When compared to 2007, recalls due to: Salmonella, increased +800% Listeria, increased +20% E. Coli, decreased -22% Undeclared ingredients, increased +16%
Food Institute Report, 2009
Recalled Food Products Recalled Food Products
Saulsbury, adapted from Food Institute Report, 2009
FDA Food Recalls by Class 1997- 2007
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f re
calls
Class IClass IIClass IIIMixed
Chen, 2009
FDA Class I Food Recalls due to Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes , E. coli O157:H7 and Allergens
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Nu
mb
er
of
rec
alls
Salmonella
L. monocytogenes
E. coli O157:H7
Allergens
Chen, 2009
Chen, 2009
FSIS Class I Food Recalls due to Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes , E. coli O157:H7 and Allergens
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Year
Nu
mb
er
of
rec
alls
Salmonella
L. monocytogenes
E. coli O157:H7
Allergens
Chen, 2009
Top ten Food Safety ProblemsTop ten Food Safety Problems
• In U.S. Food Processing Industry
• Three round Delphi Study with 15 FS experts
• Evaluated frequency & severity of FS risks
• Five processing industry sectors
• Three plant sizes
• Identified top ten food safety problems
Sertkaya, et. al. 2006
Top Five Food Safety ProblemsTop Five Food Safety Problems
Sertkaya, et al. 2006
Food Safety Problem Percent Votes
Deficient employee training 94
Contamination of raw materials 75
Poor plant & equipment sanitation 75
Poor plant design & construction 75
No preventive maintenance 69
Recalls by Specific Processor problem
FDA, 2004
Food Policy Institute Consumer SurveyFood Policy Institute Consumer Survey
• Telephone interviews
• Reached 1,101 Americans from 50 states
• Adults > 17 years of age
• Conducted between Aug. 4 - Sept. 24, 2008
• What consumers know about food recalls
Hallman, et al, 2009
Food Policy Institute Consumer SurveyFood Policy Institute Consumer Survey
• Most believe recalls are relevant to
others not to themselves
• Misconceptions about the food product
recall process & the role of government
in it are widespread
• Only 6 in 10 Americans have ever looked
for a recalled food in their homesHallman, et al, 2009
Recall MessagingRecall Messaging
• Current practices result in messages to 50-60%
of the public within 4-7 days, depending on
the aggressiveness of communication strategies
• In an ideal scenario, recall messages may reach
and be understood by up to 90% of the public
Hallman, et al, 2009
Consumer Use of MediaConsumer Use of Media
• 59% Local televisions news
• 38% Network news
• 34% Cable news
• 42% Daily newspaper
• 42% Radio news
• ~ about 40% of public do not regularly
access news through standard channels.
Pew, 2004
Where Consumers got Their Where Consumers got Their Recall Information on TomatoesRecall Information on Tomatoes
Saulsbury, adapted from Hallman, et al, 2009
Recall MessagesRecall Messages
• Recall press releases are too complex
• Written at a grade level higher than that
of nearly half of the U.S.
population
• A significant portion of the population
would: not process or understand the message
not avoid exposure to the recalled foodNovak & Biskcup, 2009
Food Product RecallsFood Product Recalls
• Slow to develop
• Cascading Warnings
• Passive Communication
• Complex Messages
• No Targeting of Messages
• Risk Fatigue
Seeger & Novak, 2009
Improving Recall EffectivenessImproving Recall Effectiveness
• More timely messages
• Better constructed messages
• Broader dissemination of messages
• Have the potential to increase the
effectiveness of recalls by 30% - 40%
Seeger & Novak, 2009
Risk Communication Risk Communication
• Considers human perceptions of risk
• Multi-directional communication among communicators, publics and stakeholders
• Activity before, during and after an event
• An integral part of an emergency response plan
• Empowers people to make their own informed decisions
What Risk Communication is NOT:What Risk Communication is NOT:
• Spin doctoring
• Public relations
• Crisis management
• How to write a press release
• How to give a media interview
• Always intended to make people
“feel better” or reduce their fear
The goals of Risk CommunicationThe goals of Risk Communication
Tailor communication so it takes into account the
emotional response to an event
Empowers publics to make informed decisions
Prevent negative behavior that hampers response or
causes more harm/
Encourages constructive responses to crisis or danger
We’re ALL risk communicatorsWe’re ALL risk communicators* Family members
* Neighbor to neighbor
* Employees / co-workers
* Extension educators
* The rumor mill
* Online blogs
* “Person on the street” interviews
* Many other channels of communication
From parking lot attendant to CEO…
Best Practices of Risk CommunicationBest Practices of Risk Communication
• An integrated approach
• General principles rather than specific prescriptions about method, channels & messages
• Not a plan
• Principles & processes that form the foundation for effective risk communication
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Risk & crisis Risk & crisis communication communication isisan ongoing an ongoing processprocess
USDA CSREESFEMA
• Think risk communications all the time
NOT “after the fact, how do we explain this”
• Risk communication must be part of the policy
development process including the pre-crisis,
decision making process
• Continuously evaluate and update the crisis
communication plans
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Conduct pre-eventplanning & preparedness activities
FEMA
• Address existing, emerging and
anticipated issues
• If a catastrophic event occurred
tomorrow, have you determined
your…
• Roles ?
• Responsibilities ?
• Response ?
• Address potential hazards, determine
how to reduce risk, plan an initial
response, evaluate different risk
scenarios, etc.
• Update regularly
• Conduct practice exercises,
activities and drills
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Foster Foster partnerships with partnerships with the publicthe public
USDA CSREES
• Who are your publics?
• Build strong, positive relationships
with key publics before a crisis occurs
• Publics include stakeholders, consumer
groups, racial and ethic communities
• Use cultural agents
to deliver messages
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
FEMA
Collaborate & Collaborate & coordinate with coordinate with credible sourcescredible sources
• Colleges & universities; Cooperative Extension
• Local, county, state & federal government agencies
• Stakeholders – associations, co-ops, unions, etc.
• Industry alliances and trade associations
• Consumer groups
• Others
Establish strategic relationships Establish strategic relationships and networks before a crisis and networks before a crisis
Identify Subject Matter ExpertsIdentify Subject Matter Experts
Epidemiologists, risk assessors, food
scientists, health educators, risk
comm specialists, microbiologists, etc.
Provide “independent credible”
statements, facts, images, etc.
Present scientific data, statistics, up-
to-date knowledge, background, etc.
CDC
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Meet the needs ofMeet the needs ofthe media & remainthe media & remainaccessibleaccessible
FEMA
• Recognize that the media is the primary
channel to the public
• Accessibility as expression of concern
• Media training is vital
“The media is not the enemy…”
Building RelationshipsBuilding Relationships
Preparedness activities should include:
• Fostering relationships with members of the media
• Identifying local media who cover stories in your area and read/listen to them regularly
• Create contact lists
• Recognizing different media needs
Goals for Media PreparationGoals for Media Preparation• Know what you want to say
• Know how you want to say it
• Anticipate reporter’s questions & know
what your answers will be
• Being well prepared will allow you to be
clearer, more comfortable and convincing
Use Many ChannelsUse Many Channels
• Websites
• Blogs
• Podcasts
• Fact sheets
• Posters
•Shopper cards
• Hot/help lines
• Information
meetings
• Town meetings
• Word of mouth
• Mailings
•Social networks
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Listen to the public’s Listen to the public’s
concern and understandconcern and understand
the audiencethe audience
USDA CSREES
• Respond to the publics beliefs
whether they are accurate or not
• Monitor many channels of communication
and keep the public’s concerns in mind
• Build a trust relationship with the public;
it is a reservoir of good will
-“it is an emotional bank account”
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Communicate with Communicate with compassion, concern compassion, concern & empathy& empathy
USDA CSREES
• Un-natural for technical experts They are taught to be unemotional
• Be aware of metamessages
Body language
Speaking style, pacing, emphasis
Location & attire
• Humanize the response
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
DemonstrateDemonstratehonesty, candorhonesty, candor& openness& openness
FEMA
Honesty, Candor & Openness Honesty = not lying
Candor = Communicating the entire truth,
even if it will reflect negatively on an
agency or organization
Openness = accessibility & immediacy
• Honesty and credibility
• It involves risk sharing
• Acknowledge uncertainty with direct responses
““Here’s what we know, here’s what we Here’s what we know, here’s what we
don’t know, here’s how we’re doing to don’t know, here’s how we’re doing to
find more answers, and here’s when find more answers, and here’s when
we’ll get back to you with more we’ll get back to you with more
information.”information.”
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Accept Accept uncertaintyuncertainty& & ambiguityambiguity
FEMA
• Inherent uncertainty of crisis & risk
• Information vacuum will be filled!
• Get there first with credible info
• Share information when it is available
“ “ We do not yet have all the facts.”We do not yet have all the facts.”
Best Practices in Best Practices in Effective Risk CommunicationEffective Risk Communication
Give people Give people meaningful meaningful things to do things to do(self–efficacy) (self–efficacy)
• Give people something to do
• The importance of meaningful actions
reasserts personal control during an
uncertain or threatening situation
Present as must do, should do, or could doPresent as must do, should do, or could do
--not duct tape and plastic!
The First 24/48 Hours are CriticalThe First 24/48 Hours are Critical
• Often sets the tone for the incident
• Must demonstrate leadership!
• Actions speak louder than words
• On Day 1, it is a story of the incident
• On Day 2, it is a story of the company’s response
• Develop effective messages, communicate widely
and consistently
It takes a Risk It takes a Risk Communication Plan to…Communication Plan to…
Be firstBe first
Be rightBe right
Be credibleBe credible
Applying the ConceptsApplying the Concepts
www.ific.org
The End
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