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Consumer information and dialogue. Dr. Pirjo-Liisa Penttilä Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Head of developement. Routes of consumer information 1/2. Different stakeholders with different targets: Home: Basic information hygiene, nutrition, storage, food safety
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Consumer information and dialogue Dr. Pirjo-Liisa Penttilä Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Head of developement
Routes of consumer information 1/2 Different stakeholders with different targets: • Home: Basic information hygiene, nutrition, storage, food safety • Schools: More information of labelling, food and illnesses, environment • Health care: nutrition, special food products
Routes of consumer information 2/2 • Food control authorities: Advice to food chain (responsibilities, in-house control) consumers included • Food and consumer research: Scientific bases, advice to risk management and information • Marketing: Product information, labelling • Media: problems, discussions, consumer advice • Consumer organisations • Others
Information flow and consumer • Information splitted and detailed • Information missing • Too much information, false messages • Data is not updated (internet) • Mostly negative information
Persistant consumer opinions • Needs for national surveys • Domestic fears to be recognised • Typical for many countries domestic products are safe fear of chemicals • Reasons: Agricultural background, protection of domestic markets, scandals
Ranking of risks is missing • Risk assessment needed also nationally • Expose assessment for chemicals with different consumer groups • Evalualion on microbiological risks • Overweight • Acute risks or chronic risks
ACUTE RISKS FOOD POISONINGS BIOGENIC AMINES FUNGAL POISONS PESTICIDES FOOD ALLERGENS CHRONIC RISKS PESTICIDES FOOD ADDITIVES DIOXINS HEAVY METALS MYCOTOXINS OVERWIGHT
50 89 12 24 INTAKE OF CHEMICALS % TARGET VALUES Nitrite Adults Children Dioxins (adults) Benzoic acid (children) Nitrate (adults) Lead Adults Children Cadmium (adults) Methylmercury (adults) Pesticides (adults) 51 37 35 17 15 1 ADI,PTWI, TDI
Changes needed • Consumers trust must be earned • Transparent information flow, consumer organisations must be taken with the planning • Well designed official information needed - Easy text and clear messages - Dialogue with consumers - Designed for different consumer groups • Co-operation with stakeholders and consumers/consumer organisations
Information systems are chancing • Internet connections more common • Numerous national and international portals • Overlapping activities • Updating problematic • Solusions? Network of portals by shared responsibilites and linking of portals
Other possibilities • Leaflets, quidelines, advice • Training of trainers • Training of media • Targeted information Children families Elderly persons
Information strategy needed • How to warn concumers of dangerous products • Responsibilities of food chain • Responsibilities of different authorities • Planning risk management • Training for catastrophes: