Food Safety and Quality
The main reason as to why the public and sprouts industry failed to get information about the risks of sprouts that could have prevented the problem is mainly because there were no proper channels of communication. The information was available but there was no possibility that the information could easily be moved from one source to another (Erdozain, 2012 p. 2). This is what brought about the problem. Also, the channels used in communicating the problems have been quite inconsistent and unreliable (Barfblog, 2012).
There are various channels that can be explored to make sure that the communication is effective and the individual human behaviors have been changed. One of these methods is by having a proper communication strategy. This implies that there is a good link between the producers, manufacturers, and the consumers. This would also aid in making sure that the products are well tested in the laboratories and labeled appropriately. This is the only way through which the communication strategies can be enhanced. It is all about streamlining the communication channels between the different stakeholders in the industry (Hallman, 2008 p. 1).
Assuming the role of a communication manager in a food safety agency, there are various channels that can be employed in making sure that communication is streamlined. The package contains different aspects. First of all, there can be measures which utilize the mass media. These can be as a way of reaching and sensitizing more people to be careful of the foods they eat. The mass media can inform the people of the challenges associated with eating of sprouts. The use of fliers, posters and leaflets can also be employed in making sure that the people have the right information. This could be a great way towards enhancing the communication strategies.
Bibliography
Barfblog. 2012. What We’ve Got Here is Failure to Communicate: Sprouts and Food Safety. [Online] Available at http://barfblog.com/what-wevw-got-here-is-failure-to-communicate-sprouts-and-food-safety/ [Accessed 19th Nov. 2012]
Erdozain, M.S. 2012. Failures in Sprouts-Related Risk Communication. Food Control, 2012. (Attached).
Hallman, W.K. 2008. “Communicating about Microbial Risks in Foods.” In: Shaffner, D.W. 2008. Microbial Risk Analysis Foods.
