LAS VEGAS — Retailers who breathe a sigh of relief after a product recall ends may be celebrating prematurely, a food safety researcher told a workshop audience here last week.
“In the short term, although major food safety incidents have a significant impact on consumer behavior, sales of the product typically rebound to normal levels in four to six weeks,” Dennis Degeneffe, a research fellow at the Food Industry Center at the University of Minnesota, said. “But there appears to be long-term erosion in consumer attitudes, and that's what we'll be seeking to quantify into the second and third years after a recall.”
Degeneffe made his remarks during a session on food safety as a global issue at NGA's annual convention here. The session was moderated by David Orgel, editor in chief of SN and content director for Penton Food Group.
Gale Prince, president of Sage Food Safety Consultants, Cincinnati — who spent nearly 30 years as corporate director of regulatory affairs for Kroger, with oversight for product recalls — suggested a series of store-level procedures for retailers to follow in a recall.
“Promptly remove the item from all shelves and, something that is often overlooked, from displays,” he said. “In addition, check incoming shipments; communicate the recall information to consumers; make sure customer returns are not put back on the shelves; and dispose of recalled products to make sure they don't end up at local food banks.”
John H. Hanlin, vice president of food safety for Supervalu, Minneapolis, suggested retailers determine whether a recalled item poses a health hazard in deciding what to pull off the shelves.
“If it does pose a health hazard, then we require store personnel to remove the product from the shelf within three hours, including all lot codes,” he pointed out. “But if there's no health hazard, then you should pull only the affected lot code.”
Hanlin said Supervalu had 184 recalls in fiscal 2008 and 247 in fiscal 2009 — a 38% increase, he noted — with an estimated 180 as fiscal 2010 nears an end.
He suggested retailers should know their suppliers and products, and pay close attention to high-risk items, including sprouts, leafy greens, ground beef and local produce.
They also should build customer awareness “by remaining proactive with shoppers and collaborating with regulators.”
“September is National Food Safety Month,” Hanlin added, “and we will mark it with more effective programs across all banners.”
In addition, he stressed the importance of training employees in proper sanitation procedures to prevent food-borne illness.
