Online communication of food risks
Recent incidents such as the German Escherichia coli outbreak have revealed the growing power of online media to dictate the conversation around food risk. Coupled with the often complex nature of food risk communication, it is clear that communicators need new tools to communicate food risk effectively. The purpose of the EU-funded FOODRISC project was to map the networks and information sources that are used to spread information on food risks. In particular, the team has examined the potential of social media, with a view to helping risk communicators make better use of these platforms. FOODRISC first reviewed the role of social media during recent food crises such as the 2011 E. coli outbreak and the horse meat scandal. Researchers found that social media has rapidly come to dominate the conversation around food risk. An online data collecting tool developed during FOODRISC, called VizzataTM, has proved useful in gauging consumer reactions to various types of content. Using VizzataTM, researchers showed that during the horse meat scandal, consumers were mainly concerned that the labels did not match the contents of the products. Monitoring online activity has provided similar insights into the perception of other food-related issues, such as genetic modification and animal cloning. Lastly, FOODRISC scientists constructed a freely available online toolkit, or guide, for food risk communication. This will help to promote coherent and scientifically accurate food risk communication via social media channels. Online communication has a vital role to play in ensuring food safety, a research priority of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for research and innovation. FOODRISC has provided the tools to make sure that this communication is accurate, balanced and effective.
Keywords
Food risks, social media, food risk communication, consumer reactions, food safety
