Food scandal

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A food scandal (similar to a food crisis ) is the term used to describe the illegal handling of food that is actually or allegedly committed by the media . The handling perceived as a scandal can take place during manufacture, packaging, transport and / or storage.

In connection with so-called rotten meat , products that are fundamentally unsuitable for consumption also play a role, namely animal products or meat by-products. The products affected by a food scandal

  • are spoiled or
  • contain undesired substance fractions in batches and mixtures (see substance purity )
  • or contain bacteria or other microorganisms in a prohibited or inappropriately perceived concentration.

Contamination is sometimes used in this context :

  • physical contamination (e.g. broken glass, metal),
  • microbiological contamination (e.g. bacteria, fungi),
  • chemical contamination (e.g. pesticides, toxins).

This term is also used for the contamination with radioactive substances and is therefore suitable for particularly worrying consumers. The term “contaminated” food, which is often used in this context, is also incorrect, because the term epidemic refers to a highly contagious ( virulent ) infectious disease - possibly leading to infectious disease, i.e. it gives the idea that a consumer of a “contaminated food” is exposed to his environment infect. It is more objective to speak of a 'contaminated' or 'contaminated' food or to specify the type of contamination (e.g. 'the meat contains an average of one gram of lead per kilogram').

The consequences can range from a simple “doesn't taste good” to severe food poisoning .

The legal framework is determined by a complex food law.

Well-known food scandals were, for example, the glycol wine scandal , the BSE crisis and several “rotten meat ” scandals. In China in 2008, melamine contamination of powdered milk products resulted in the death of some children and the treatment of over 50,000 infants and young children in hospitals, around a quarter of whom were inpatients.

A feed scandal (e.g. nitrofen scandal ) can lead to a food scandal , namely if the contaminated feed has been eaten by farm animals that have already been slaughtered, that are commercially available and that cannot be recalled. Today, many products can be traced or identified by means of a batch number or a printed best-before date (from which the manufacturer can see the production date) and, if necessary, recalled ('taken off the shelves').

Food scandals are not the only contemporary phenomenon. For example, in 1919 Hamburg experienced a food scandal that came to be known as the Hamburg Sülze Uprising .

Scope and truth values

Public warnings about the foods of certain manufacturers can deprive them of their economic existence. The authorities are often faced with the dilemma of having to weigh up the understandable demands of consumers for protection and information and the interests of the companies concerned. Consumer advocates often accuse the authorities of showing unilateral consideration for the (actual or suspected) perpetrators. The media or authorities occasionally issue unfounded warnings. For example, in 2003 the warning about Coppenrath & Wiese products turned out to be wrong.

Intent or oversight

Contamination or spoilage of food can be traced back to either intent or accident. In the case of intent, a distinction must be made between the criminal act of the company itself ( game meat scandal 2006, rotten meat scandal 2005 ff., Cheese scandal in Italy 2008) and the criminal act of third parties who blackmail the company (e.g. Thomy extortion, 1997).

Causes of contamination

Most of the food crises are due to contamination.

Spoiled goods (e.g. "rotten meat") are classified as microbiological contamination. Contamination, which leads to microbiological contamination, occurs frequently, but it only becomes a health hazard for the consumer if the cold chain is interrupted . The temperature increases lead to a growth of the microorganisms and ultimately to a potentially harmful microbiological contamination. As a rule, contamination occurs inadvertently during production or even enters the production process with raw materials. This is why Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 and the German Food and Feed Code require traceability across the entire food value chain . Data loggers and time-temperature indicators help monitor the storage temperature.

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed of the EU Commission warns of affected foods . In response to the contamination usually takes place a product recall . This is made possible by the traceability of the food.

See also

literature

  • Kerstin Meyer-Hullmann: Food scandals and consumer reactions. Analysis of the effects of food scandals with special consideration of information behavior. Shown using the example of BSE. Lang, Frankfurt a. M. u. a. 1999, ISBN 3-631-34928-9 (dissertation at the Technical University of Munich)
  • Matthias Horst, Otto A. Strecker (Hrsg.): Crisis management in the food industry. Behr, Hamburg 2006, ISBN 3-89947-302-7
  • Axel Philipps: BSE, bird flu & Co: "Food scandals" and consumer behavior. An empirical study. Transcript, Bielefeld 2008, ISBN 978-3899429534
  • Vera Linzmaier: Food scandals in the media. Risk profiles and consumer uncertainty. Reinhard Fischer Verlag, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-88927-441-0
  • Benjamin Brauer: Food Scandals: An Experimental Study of the Effect on Retail Trust . Norderstedt 2006, ISBN 3-640-32532-X

Web links

Wiktionary: Food scandal  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Milk powder scandal. Nestlé denies danger to Germany , stern.de, September 22, 2008 (accessed September 25, 2008)