Crisis communication and food safety. Case of listeriosis in larded meat

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study the main communication policies carried out by various public institutions, in accordance with national and European food safety control systems, in order to manage the growing number and severity of food crises. To this end, the outbreak of listeriosis in La Mechá tufted meat company registered in the summer of 2019 in Spain has been selected as one of the cases, together with the crisis caused by the bacteria E. coli in 2011, in which the communication policy of institutions has caused more controversy. Given the commitment of national and European authorities to strengthen the systems of alerts and health and food control, the study of this case aims to put on the table the suitability of the crisis communication management and to underline its importance as the main tool for managing food crises, so that conflicts can be controlled and alarmism caused by certain information can be reduced. In the face of a food crisis, the only instrument available to the final consumer to protect his health is information. If the competent authorities issue discrepant, ambiguous, speculative or contradictory messages, the feeling of lack of control and misinformation will increase. On the other hand, the complexity of the area in which these crises develop, food safety, requires that public authorities and those responsible for developing these communication policies know how national and European safety controls work, including the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), which allows the responsible national and European bodies to exchange information quickly and efficiently, and the relevant legislation.