MANHATTAN, Kan.—While consumers generally learn about food recalls quickly, what they are not finding out about recalls and the inspection process could make them doubt the effectiveness of what is actually a pretty good system to keep food safe, according to Kansas State University researchers.
Researchers looked at what information consumers can take away from the Food Safety and Inspection Service's Web site, and suggest government agencies can more clearly communicate their role in keeping the food supply safe.
"We as Americans tend to expect more from regulatory agencies than we should, so we set ourselves up for disappointment," they wrote. "Occasionally, regulatory agencies may create unrealistic expectations by the way they communicate with the public. The message of our paper is to say that the Food Safety and Inspection Service is doing a good job, considering the amount of resources it has. We are trying to open up dialogue about how its role could be communicated more effectively."
