© 2024 J. de Jong
Food Safety Management (FHM61312)
This summary was written in the academic year 2023-2024. The summary contains notes from all
lectures and guest lectures. Literature and background information has been included when
necessary.
Contents
Food Safety Management (FHM61312) .................................................................................................. 1
Lecture 1+2: introduction to the course ................................................................................................. 2
Lecture 3+4: consumer perception 1 and 2 ............................................................................................ 3
Lecture 5: food law 1 – legal perspective on incident management ...................................................... 8
Lecture 6: food law 2 – crisis management, RASFF and liability ........................................................... 11
Lecture 7: risk assessment .................................................................................................................... 14
Lecture 8: toxicology 1 – low dose cancer risk assessment .................................................................. 15
Lecture 8: toxicology 2 – quality and safety of drinking water ............................................................. 17
Lecture 9: toxicology 3 – PFAS in the food chain .................................................................................. 19
Lecture 10: logistics 1+2 ........................................................................................................................ 21
Lecture 11: real-life experiences with outbreaks .................................................................................. 27
Guest lecture 1: NVWA ......................................................................................................................... 28
Guest lecture 2: allergen management................................................................................................. 31
Guest lecture 3: food waste .................................................................................................................. 33
Calculations ........................................................................................................................................... 35
Drivers of food waste ............................................................................................................................ 36
Factsheet pathogenic bacteria .............................................................................................................. 37
Cheat sheet definitions ......................................................................................................................... 38
1
, © 2024 J. de Jong
Lecture 1+2: introduction to the course
Food Safety Management
• Short-term management: consumer complaints, incidents, crisis → incidents.
o What to decide (stop production, recall).
o How to communicate (media, consumers, authorities).
• Intermediate term management: HACCP, audits, certification, regulation → proactivity.
• Long-term management: risk management, lobbying → risk management.
Food safety has a major impact on public health and the economy (recalls, lawsuits). It can never
totally be prevented, but it can be reduced. Quantitative objectives are set to control food safety
issues. There is a shared responsibility in society to minimise risk; safety depends on the weakest link
in the food supply chain.
Risk assessment is part of a larger risk analysis.
• Hazard = a biological, chemical or physical agent in food, or condition of food, with the
potential to cause an adverse health effect → potential to become a risk.
• Risk = a function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that effect,
consequential to a hazard(s) in food.
𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑘 = 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦 × 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦
Risk analysis
Risk analysis = management concept. Contains:
• Risk assessment = a scientifically based process consisting of
hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure
assessment and risk characterization. → by scientists.
• Risk management = weighing policy alternatives in the light of
the results of risk assessment, selecting and implementing
appropriate control options → by government, companies,
international trade.
• Risk communication = the interactive exchange of information and opinions throughout the
risk analysis process concerning risk, risk-related factors and risk perceptions, among →
consumers, scientists, risk managers, companies.
2
, © 2024 J. de Jong
Lecture 3+4: consumer perception 1 and 2
Learning outcomes
After attending the lectures and examining the literature, the student is able:
• To explain and illustrate the key intuitive factors of consumer risk perception (i.e. voluntary
nature, dreadfulness, familiarity and naturalness of hazard).
• To explain and illustrate the key factors of consumer risk management perception (i.e. efforts,
responsibility, priorities, trustworthiness).
• To define and illustrate the concept of social amplification of risk and source credibility in
crisis communication.
• To explain and illustrate common types of cognitive bias that interfere with how people
assess risks and make decisions (i.e. optimistic bias, confirmation bias, negativity bias,
framing and availability heuristic).
Key factors of consumer risk perception
Risk perception = people’s judgement of future outcomes that may occur if they or others follow a
given course of action. Risk perception occurs through an
analytical or experimental process. Emotion and instincts
easily overwhelm consumers → quick decisions on small
parts of information. Dual model of consumer decision
making:
• System 1 = quick, intuitive responses related to
emotion.
• System 2 = slow, reflective thinking taking various dimensions of the risk into account.
Heuristics and intuition
Heuristics = mental shortcuts that allow people to make fast decisions.
• Often not aware of them.
• Could lead to biases in judgement.
• Triggered by cues in the environment, e.g. doctor’s clothes; country of origin.
1 Dreadfulness = fear of catastrophic and uncontrollable risks.
Having a bad feeling → unsafe.
• Affect heuristic = mental shortcut in which people make quick and automatic decisions based
on emotions → risks and benefits often viewed as negatively correlated.
2 Familiarity:
• Unknown risks concern people the most.
• Getting used to it is a major reason for losing fear.
3 Level of understanding
• Poorly understood risks are more scary → science behind it, uncertainty.
4 Naturalness
• Natural disasters are caused by natural forces and not man-made.
• Unnatural (technological) risks (e.g. biotechnology).
5 Voluntary nature
Risks that concern most:
3
, © 2024 J. de Jong
• Any involuntary risk over which people have no control → physical control or feeling control
over a process.
Risk perception
Consumer risk perception is primarily system 1.
• Sometimes too afraid and sometimes not afraid
enough.
• Insights about psychology of risks or “fright factors”
can be used:
o to identify which risks are likely to cause most alarm;
o to predict and prioritise responses.
Key factors of consumer risk management perception
Key themes common to consumer perceptions of food risk management:
• Efforts made by authorities.
• Responsibility → consumer views related to perceived level of control over exposure to risk.
• How authorities deal with uncertainty → minister eating food after an incident.
• Priorities
• Trustworthiness
Efforts made by authorities
Consumers feel like risks are well-managed if efforts are being made by the authorities:
• existence of established systems of control;
• instigation of preventive measures;
• information provision:
o Trade off between education & “information overload”
o “media fog”, “huge confusion”, “what does it mean for us?”
o Importance of informed choice.
Priorities
Is consumer health protection prioritised in food risk management?
• Risk managers: yes.
• Consumers question the motives of food risk managers.
Trustworthiness
Trust can be destroyed in seconds. For consumers, trustworthiness is largely determined by:
• Perceived competence of food risk managers.
• Value similarity (having similar interests or values to those of consumers, caring).
• Power and ability to act.
• Public accessibility of data and experts.
When consumers cannot control a risk, they have to rely on others and trust them:
• less efforts needed to understand issues;
• delegation of responsibility.
Social amplification of risk & source credibility
Social amplification
Risk perception is magnified socially →
• Stakeholders have different views.
• ‘The yuck factor’ (emotional response) matters.
• It matters how a message is framed.
4
Food Safety Management (FHM61312)
This summary was written in the academic year 2023-2024. The summary contains notes from all
lectures and guest lectures. Literature and background information has been included when
necessary.
Contents
Food Safety Management (FHM61312) .................................................................................................. 1
Lecture 1+2: introduction to the course ................................................................................................. 2
Lecture 3+4: consumer perception 1 and 2 ............................................................................................ 3
Lecture 5: food law 1 – legal perspective on incident management ...................................................... 8
Lecture 6: food law 2 – crisis management, RASFF and liability ........................................................... 11
Lecture 7: risk assessment .................................................................................................................... 14
Lecture 8: toxicology 1 – low dose cancer risk assessment .................................................................. 15
Lecture 8: toxicology 2 – quality and safety of drinking water ............................................................. 17
Lecture 9: toxicology 3 – PFAS in the food chain .................................................................................. 19
Lecture 10: logistics 1+2 ........................................................................................................................ 21
Lecture 11: real-life experiences with outbreaks .................................................................................. 27
Guest lecture 1: NVWA ......................................................................................................................... 28
Guest lecture 2: allergen management................................................................................................. 31
Guest lecture 3: food waste .................................................................................................................. 33
Calculations ........................................................................................................................................... 35
Drivers of food waste ............................................................................................................................ 36
Factsheet pathogenic bacteria .............................................................................................................. 37
Cheat sheet definitions ......................................................................................................................... 38
1
, © 2024 J. de Jong
Lecture 1+2: introduction to the course
Food Safety Management
• Short-term management: consumer complaints, incidents, crisis → incidents.
o What to decide (stop production, recall).
o How to communicate (media, consumers, authorities).
• Intermediate term management: HACCP, audits, certification, regulation → proactivity.
• Long-term management: risk management, lobbying → risk management.
Food safety has a major impact on public health and the economy (recalls, lawsuits). It can never
totally be prevented, but it can be reduced. Quantitative objectives are set to control food safety
issues. There is a shared responsibility in society to minimise risk; safety depends on the weakest link
in the food supply chain.
Risk assessment is part of a larger risk analysis.
• Hazard = a biological, chemical or physical agent in food, or condition of food, with the
potential to cause an adverse health effect → potential to become a risk.
• Risk = a function of the probability of an adverse health effect and the severity of that effect,
consequential to a hazard(s) in food.
𝑅𝑖𝑠𝑘 = 𝑠𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦 × 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦
Risk analysis
Risk analysis = management concept. Contains:
• Risk assessment = a scientifically based process consisting of
hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure
assessment and risk characterization. → by scientists.
• Risk management = weighing policy alternatives in the light of
the results of risk assessment, selecting and implementing
appropriate control options → by government, companies,
international trade.
• Risk communication = the interactive exchange of information and opinions throughout the
risk analysis process concerning risk, risk-related factors and risk perceptions, among →
consumers, scientists, risk managers, companies.
2
, © 2024 J. de Jong
Lecture 3+4: consumer perception 1 and 2
Learning outcomes
After attending the lectures and examining the literature, the student is able:
• To explain and illustrate the key intuitive factors of consumer risk perception (i.e. voluntary
nature, dreadfulness, familiarity and naturalness of hazard).
• To explain and illustrate the key factors of consumer risk management perception (i.e. efforts,
responsibility, priorities, trustworthiness).
• To define and illustrate the concept of social amplification of risk and source credibility in
crisis communication.
• To explain and illustrate common types of cognitive bias that interfere with how people
assess risks and make decisions (i.e. optimistic bias, confirmation bias, negativity bias,
framing and availability heuristic).
Key factors of consumer risk perception
Risk perception = people’s judgement of future outcomes that may occur if they or others follow a
given course of action. Risk perception occurs through an
analytical or experimental process. Emotion and instincts
easily overwhelm consumers → quick decisions on small
parts of information. Dual model of consumer decision
making:
• System 1 = quick, intuitive responses related to
emotion.
• System 2 = slow, reflective thinking taking various dimensions of the risk into account.
Heuristics and intuition
Heuristics = mental shortcuts that allow people to make fast decisions.
• Often not aware of them.
• Could lead to biases in judgement.
• Triggered by cues in the environment, e.g. doctor’s clothes; country of origin.
1 Dreadfulness = fear of catastrophic and uncontrollable risks.
Having a bad feeling → unsafe.
• Affect heuristic = mental shortcut in which people make quick and automatic decisions based
on emotions → risks and benefits often viewed as negatively correlated.
2 Familiarity:
• Unknown risks concern people the most.
• Getting used to it is a major reason for losing fear.
3 Level of understanding
• Poorly understood risks are more scary → science behind it, uncertainty.
4 Naturalness
• Natural disasters are caused by natural forces and not man-made.
• Unnatural (technological) risks (e.g. biotechnology).
5 Voluntary nature
Risks that concern most:
3
, © 2024 J. de Jong
• Any involuntary risk over which people have no control → physical control or feeling control
over a process.
Risk perception
Consumer risk perception is primarily system 1.
• Sometimes too afraid and sometimes not afraid
enough.
• Insights about psychology of risks or “fright factors”
can be used:
o to identify which risks are likely to cause most alarm;
o to predict and prioritise responses.
Key factors of consumer risk management perception
Key themes common to consumer perceptions of food risk management:
• Efforts made by authorities.
• Responsibility → consumer views related to perceived level of control over exposure to risk.
• How authorities deal with uncertainty → minister eating food after an incident.
• Priorities
• Trustworthiness
Efforts made by authorities
Consumers feel like risks are well-managed if efforts are being made by the authorities:
• existence of established systems of control;
• instigation of preventive measures;
• information provision:
o Trade off between education & “information overload”
o “media fog”, “huge confusion”, “what does it mean for us?”
o Importance of informed choice.
Priorities
Is consumer health protection prioritised in food risk management?
• Risk managers: yes.
• Consumers question the motives of food risk managers.
Trustworthiness
Trust can be destroyed in seconds. For consumers, trustworthiness is largely determined by:
• Perceived competence of food risk managers.
• Value similarity (having similar interests or values to those of consumers, caring).
• Power and ability to act.
• Public accessibility of data and experts.
When consumers cannot control a risk, they have to rely on others and trust them:
• less efforts needed to understand issues;
• delegation of responsibility.
Social amplification of risk & source credibility
Social amplification
Risk perception is magnified socially →
• Stakeholders have different views.
• ‘The yuck factor’ (emotional response) matters.
• It matters how a message is framed.
4
