6. raising consumer awareness
TRANSCRIPT
6. Raising Consumer Awareness
Elisa BarilozziCommissariat du gouvernement à la qualité,
à la fraude et à la sécurité alimentaire
Luxembourg
EFSA 46th Focal Point Meeting20th May 2021
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 2 of 14
Background
➢ La sécurité dans mon assiette - “Safety on my plate”
➢ Since 2008 - as an EFSA Focal Point activity, addressing:
• Politicians
• National authorities
• Scientists
• FBO safety managers
• Other interested parties
➔New national and European developments in food safety
➢ No initiatives to inform consumers about Food safety in Luxembourg
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 3 of 14
➢ 2018 : Test consumer event
➢ Success but needed to be even more consumer friendly
➢ Since 2019 : new strategy
Background
Consumer
eventScientific
event
➢ 2020 and 2021: Covid-19 situation
• Consumer event – not suited as online event
• New alternatives needed
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 4 of 14
Initiatives : Consumer Event
➢ 2019
➢ After work
➢ Short presentations (+-10 minutes)
➢ Very basic topics
➢ Verified consumer-friendly presentations
➢ Held in lb with fr translation
➢ Followed by Meet & Eat
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 5 of 14
Initiatives : Consumer Event
➢ Involvement of the public
• Nationally known moderator
• Questions / Polls with the public
• Scientific experiments involving food
➢ Meet and Eat : possibility to talk directly with the experts around a thematic table
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 6 of 14
Initiatives : Quiz on food safety
➢ 2020
➢ 10 questions on food safety out of a pool of 20 questions
➢ Multiple choice with further explanation of the answer
➢ Nearly 1300 participants responding to all questions
➢ 3 main winners (basket), and 7 consolation prices (small gadgets –all including EFSA Factsheets)
➢ Questions & answers published: Link (in lb and fr)
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 7 of 14
Initiatives : Quiz on food safety – Examples*
➢ What does FCM stand for?
• Fried Chicken Method - American way of frying chicken
• Food Contact Materials - Any material that comes into contact with food and must meet defined requirements.
• Food Chilling Measures - Measures taken to maintain the cold chain until products reach the consumer
➢ Additives are substances that are deliberately added to a product to achieve desired properties. Which of the additives listed below does NOT actually exist?
• E160 -Carotenoid, a coloring agent found naturally in apricots or carrots.
• E330 -Citric acid naturally found in citrus fruits and used as an acidifying agent.
• E-007 - A safety agent with a license to kill microbial
➢ EFSA – What is it?
• European Food Safety Authority – *translation in French and LU*
• Excellent Food Solutions Agency - a non-profit organisation to improve the supply of healthy food for everyone.
• Europe's Fruity Sweet Apples - a protected quality label for apples in Europe
➢ EFSA is the European Food Safety Authority. What exactly is it about?
• Analysing the risk so that no one in Europe needs to suffer from hunger and that we all have enough food
• Studying the risk to humans in relation to the various substances in our food.
• Monitoring the canteens of the European institutions to ensure that the employees do not eat bad food.
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 8 of 14
Initiatives: short films
➢ Replace the consumer event during pandemic
➢ Same subjects as planned on agenda (lb with fr, de, ensubtitles)• General labelling
• Food Allergens
• Additives
• Nutrition and health claims
➢ Main messages: • EFSA responsible for the risk assessment of these substances
• Food safety is based on scientific facts
➢ Soon new videos (end 2021?)• Risk assessment (microbiological, chemical, pesticides, VMP, EFSA,
Danger vs Hazard etc. ) - t.b.d.
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 9 of 14
Initiatives: Post cards
“Best before” and “use-by” dates
Five Keys to Safer Food
(WHO)
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 10 of 14
Social Media
➢ Facebook – to address consumer
• Post, Videos, Sponsored Campaigns
Defrosting food safely
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 11 of 14
Social Media
➢ LinkedIn – to address professionals
• Sharing of EFSA directly
• Sharing of EFSA content from our website
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 12 of 14
Other ideas
➢ Promotion of EFSA through TV Show of Mister Science : PISA de Wëssensmagazin
• With presentation of Luxembourgish scientists at EFSA
➢ 2021 : Food safety Game for “World Food Safety Day”
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 13 of 14
Best practices
➢ Basic language• Food safety – Neglected topic for consumers
➢ Specific examples from everyday life
➢ Help from “celebrity”• Mr. Science : character elaborated by FNR -
Luxembourg National Research Fund
➢ EFSA Consumer initiatives• Ex.: Defrosting food safely
➢ Collaboration with CEN members• Work with people with communication
experience
➢ Food safety website: consumer section
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 14 of 14
Challenges & perspectives
➢ Food safety not the main interest
➢ Food safety not tangible enough
• Consumers want “Yes-No” answer
➢ Finding the middle way: attractive for consumer but still informative / educational
➢ Specifically for Luxembourg
• New ministry: difficulties to reach consumers
• Language : Luxembourgish / French / German – English?
• Politically not every topic is fit for discussion
‒ Pro-contra: GMOs, organic vs. pesticides
7A rue Thomas Edison L-1445 StrassenCommissariat alimentaire
Raising Consumer AwarenessElisa Barilozzi - Luxembourg 46th Focal Point Meeting – 19-20 May 2021
Page 15 of 14
Thank you for your attention!
Any questions?