Risk and Benefit Perception of Seafood Consumption on Human Health: Information Needs and Communication Strategies Workshop
ECsafeSEAFOOD Stakeholder Workshop
Risk and benefit perception of seafood consumption on human health (including vulnerable groups) to consumer organisations and producers/processors: information needs and communication strategies
Although seafood is recognised as a high quality, healthy and safe food, some can accumulate environmental contaminants with potential impact on human health. Seafood is currently controlled by efficient monitoring programmes for certain environmental contaminants (e.g. Pb, Hg, Cd, toxins) that provide crucial information for management and risk assessment purposes. However, little information is available for contaminants without maximum limits set by authorities, such as toxins from harmful algal blooms, marine litter, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceutical and personal care products, inorganic As, organic Hg, and brominated flame retardants. In this context, the ECsafeSEAFOOD project (http://www.ecsafeseafood.eu/) aims to assess safety issues mainly related to non-regulated contaminants present in seafood as a result of environmental contamination and evaluate their impact on public health.
Aims of the workshop
Investigate what information is needed about seafood benefits and risk assessment and how it should be communicated to the general public and to vulnerable groups of consumers in order to reduce public health risks from seafood consumption. In particular:
- Evaluate the information availability about seafood benefits (minerals, fatty acids, etc.) and risks (as far as non-regulated and regulated contaminants are concerned)
- Present project results on consumer risk and benefit perception in different European regions
- Understand risk and benefit perceptions of consumer organisations and producers/processors associated with seafood consumption
- Identify the appropriate strategies to effectively communicate to consumers, whilst maintaining a strong seafood sector and promoting consumer confidence in seafood industry
- Inform on the achievements of the ECsafeSEAFOOD project regarding emerging contaminants in seafood
Topics to be discussed
- Achievements of the ECsafeSEAFOOD project regarding the monitoring of non-regulated contaminants in seafood
- Risk and benefit assessment related to seafood consumption
- Consumer and producers’/processors’ needs and risk perception of seafood consumption on human health – Identification of the knowledge gaps in seafood safety
Target audience
Consumer organisations (also NGOs) and seafood producers/processors from Europe.
Expected output of the workshop
Identify the information needs of consumers and seafood producers/processors about seafood safety issues in order to better implement strategies to increase consumer awareness and confidence in seafood safety, and promote safe seafood consumption in Europe.
The results of the first workshop will be included in an ECsafeSEAFOOD deliverable and communicated to risk managers/communicators and policy makers in a second workshop.
Agenda
The workshop will be managed with the aim of encouraging participants to express their views and discuss. A voting system will be used in order to gather participants’ opinions for brief discussion.
14.30 – 14.40 Welcome, purpose and format of the workshop (Alexandru Marchis - OPERA)
14.40 – 14.55 “The challenges of the ECsafeSEAFOOD project - Overview of objectives and achievements” (Antonio Marques – IPMA)
14.55 – 15.10 “Marine toxins and seafood consumption: risk assessment specificities” (Jorge Diógene – IRTA)
15.10 – 15.25 “Consumers’ risk and benefit perception of seafood consumption for human health” (Silke Jacobs - UGENT)
15.25 – 15.45 Discussion on:
- Perception of the benefits associated to seafood consumption
- Perception of the risks associated to seafood consumption (related to chemicals (pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, heavy metals); toxins, bacteria and viruses; plastic residues
15.45 – 16.00 “Seafood communication strategies: ECsafeSEAFOOD stakeholder online tool” (Lolita Vilavert - URV)
16.00 – 16.20 Discussion on:
- The most appropriate strategies to communicate seafood safety issues to consumers, possible improvements of seafood labelling
- Exploring different communication strategies, e.g.: on line tools, videos, etc.
16.20 – 16.30 Conclusions