THE OPEN and frank manner in which the dioxin scare was dealt with by the Government in 2008 limited damage to its credibility and “at least partially preserved the economic standing of the country’s food and farming industries”, according to research just published in international scientific journal Public Understanding of Science.
The research, by food safety experts in the US and Canada, compared the manner in which similar dioxin crises emanating from animal feed were dealt with by the Belgian government in 1999 and the Irish Government in 2008.
They point out that the crisis in Belgium was “poorly managed”, while the one in Ireland was “managed quite successfully” as a result of the Government and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) being upfront with the public.
In Belgium, the study points out, the government was aware of dioxin contamination in animal feed and that public health could have been endangered on April 21st, 1999. It took until June 1st for the government to set up a website with facts and dates. “Ultimately the dioxin crisis hurt Belgium in many ways, including huge economic losses, a damaged food industry and deterioration in public confidence,” the study states.
In contrast, it says the Irish Government publicly announced the discovery of dioxins in animal feed and pork fat on December 6th, 2008 – the same day the FSAI received the positive samples – and all pork products from pigs slaughtered in Ireland were removed from sale.
“Consumers were so comforted by the Irish Government’s explanations of the low level of risk from contamination that many were confused as to why the pork was even recalled . . . Examination of the management of the Belgian crisis suggests . . . was an appropriate action,” the authors state, adding crisis managers may wish to follow the Irish Government’s example in future.