Have you ever experienced that uncomfortable, nauseous feeling followed by a meal? The one where you say to yourself, “Oh no, this isn’t normal… I must have food poisoning.” If you answered yes, you are one of many. Every year in the U.S., foodborne illness, the result of consuming contaminated food or beverages, causes 76 million gastrointestinal illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Talk about a bad meal.
With so many cases of foodborne illness, it makes one wonder, what can retailers and manufacturers do to help consumers prevent future outbreaks?
One suggestion is for retailers to educate consumers about the dangers of undercooked food and highlight safe handling processes. This can be communicated through in-store signage or fliers/handouts relevant to different sections in the stores, including meat, dairy and produce. By providing consumers with this information, it will hopefully lessen the cases of foodborne illness.
For manufacturers who are usually at the receiving end of outrage from consumers when outbreaks occur, strategies, such as removing spoiled foods as quickly and efficiently as possible in the case of a recall and utilizing instant communication mediums, such as mobile devices to text or e-mail registered shoppers about the bad product, can cut down the spread of foodborne illness.
Another strategy that some manufacturers have employed is to provide consumers with recipes and facts detailing how long to cook certain products. JennieO, for example, offers many recipes on its Web site as well as providing a “Tips for Food Safety” page. By educating consumers about meal preparation, the likelihood of undercooked or poorly handled food will decrease.
Better communication and continued consumer education of food handling and food preparation guidelines will undoubtedly be helpful in the battle to minimize foodborne illnesses…one consumer at a time.
