Transcript EDEN Recall Program Power Point

Risk Communication during
Food Product Recalls
By
Robert B. Gravani, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science
Cornell University
National Center for Food Protection & Defense
at the
University of Minnesota
Defending the safety of the food system
through research and education
Academic Collaborators
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 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 Recalls
Year Recalls
• 1999
279
Year
• 2004
Recalls
293
• 2000
384
• 2005
255
• 2001
393
• 2006
240
• 2002
396
• 2007
338
• 2003
266
• 2008
565
Food Institute Report, 2009
Food 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
Product Categories Affected by Recalls-2008
Sauces and
Bakery, 60, 11%
Seasonings, 16, 3%
Beverages, 12, 2%
Prepared Foods,
67, 12%
Pet Food, 109, 19%
Meat and Poultry,
52, 9%
Ingredients and
Spices, 24, 4%
Bakery
Beverages
Confectionary and
Snacks, 43, 8%
Dairy/Non Dairy, 31,
5%
Fish and Seafood,
34, 6%
Confectionary and Snacks
Dairy/Non Dairy
Fish and Seafood
Fruits and Vegetables
Ingredients and Spices
Meat and Poultry
Pet Food
Prepared Foods
Fruits and
Vegetables, 117,
21%
Sauces and Seasonings
Saulsbury, adapted from Food Institute Report, 2009
FDA Food Recalls by Class 1997- 2007
200
Class I
Class II
Class III
Mixed
180
Number of recalls
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Chen, 2009
FDA Class I Food Recalls
due to Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes , E. coli O157:H7 and Allergens
Salmonella
L. monocytogenes
100
90
E. coli O157:H7
Allergens
Number of recalls
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Chen, 2009
FSIS Food Recalls by Class 1997-2007
100
Class I
Class II
90
Class III
Number of recalls
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Chen, 2009
FSIS Class I Food Recalls
due to Salmonella , Listeria monocytogenes , E. coli O157:H7 and Allergens
Salmonella
Number of recalls
50
45
L. monocytogenes
E. coli O157:H7
40
Allergens
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Year
Chen, 2009
Top 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 Problems
Food Safety Problem
Deficient employee training
Percent
Votes
94
Contamination of raw materials
75
Poor plant & equipment sanitation
75
Poor plant design & construction
75
No preventive maintenance
69
Sertkaya, et al. 2006
Recalls by Specific Processor problem
FDA, 2004
Food 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 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 homes
Hallman, et al, 2009
Recall 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 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
Recall Information on Tomatoes
Where Consumers Get Their Recall Information
TV
66%
Unsure
2%
Store
2%
New spaper
4%
TV
Internet
5%
Someone else
Restaurant
Radio
6%
Radio
Internet
Restaurant
6%
New spaper
Someone else
9%
Store
Unsure
Saulsbury, adapted from Hallman, et al, 2009
Recall 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 food
Novak & Biskcup, 2009
Food Product Recalls
• Slow to develop
• Cascading Warnings
• Passive Communication
• Complex Messages
• No Targeting of Messages
• Risk Fatigue
Seeger & Novak, 2009
Improving 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
• 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:
• 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 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 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 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
Effective Risk Communication

Risk & crisis
communication is
an ongoing process
USDA CSREES
• 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
Effective Risk Communication

Conduct pre-event
planning & 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
Effective Risk Communication

Foster
partnerships with
the 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
Effective Risk Communication

Collaborate &
coordinate with
credible sources
FEMA
Establish strategic relationships
and networks before a crisis

• Colleges & universities; Cooperative Extension
• Local, county, state & federal government agencies
• Stakeholders – associations, co-ops, unions, etc.
• Industry alliances and trade associations
• Consumer groups
• Others
Identify 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, upto-date knowledge, background, etc.
CDC
Best Practices in
Effective Risk Communication

Meet the needs of
the media & remain
accessible
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 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 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 Channels
• Websites
• Hot/help lines
• Email
• Information
• Blogs
meetings
• Podcasts
• Town meetings
• Fact sheets
• Word of mouth
• Posters
• Mailings
•Shopper cards •Social networks

Best Practices in
Effective Risk Communication

Listen to the public’s
concern and understand
the 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
Effective Risk Communication

Communicate with
compassion, concern
& 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
Effective Risk Communication

Demonstrate
honesty, candor
& 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
don’t know, here’s how we’re doing to
find more answers, and here’s when
we’ll get back to you with more
information.”

Best Practices in
Effective Risk Communication

Accept
uncertainty
& ambiguity
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.”
Best Practices in
Effective Risk Communication

Give people
meaningful
things to do
(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 do
--not duct tape and plastic!
The 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
Communication Plan to…
Be first
Be right
Be credible
Applying the Concepts
www.ific.org
The End