Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Italian health authority and research organization for animal health and food safety
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Food risk communication

In recent decades, the relationship between consumers and food has changed due to several factors including the increasingly rapid changes in the food industry, in the lifestyles of large segments of the population and the occurrence of periodic food crises. All these factors have encouraged the spread of new habits and practices of purchasing and consumption.

Questions and concerns on the current method for managing production systems and livestock have raised and consumers’ request for more transparency and information on food processing is increased. Moreover, consumers are often unconsciously exposed to significant health risks due to improper practices in food handling and food preparation at home.

Ethical Charter – Communication and Training in the IZSVe >

Social research

The knowledge of consumers’ perceptions and behaviours is a strategic aspect for the development of effective risk communication for the promotion of public health, not only in emergency situations but also in daily practice.

In this perspective, the IZSVe Observatory conducts social research on risk communication. The studies aim to promote specific initiatives and communication campaigns for the prevention of risk associated with food consumption and to foster the adoption of healthy behaviours and correct eating habits.

The research projects carried out by the IZSVe are funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.

Research projects of the Observatory cover three main areas:

Risk communication
Perception of risk
Participation and involvement of consumers

Pursuing the following research aims:

to study and understand factors influencing risk perception and management
to develop and test new social research techniques in the field of food safety and risk communication
to use innovative and appropriate communication tools for different target groups
to define innovative strategies for the promotion of public health

Projects and publications

Research projects

Research project IZS VE 04/14
Food safety on the web 2.0: creation of an institutional blog as a tool for an effective risk communication.
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Research project IZS VE 05/13
Food bloggers and risk communication: impact of a community-centered training activity aimed at the online dissemination of correct food preparation practices in the household.
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Research project IZS VE 03/12
Scenario workshop and mixed methods approach: two innovative methods for building and evaluating a web-based application designed to communicate chemical risk in food.
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Research project IZS VE 02/11
Applying the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) to the construction of a risk communication model for institutional healthcare entities involved in food safety. The case of risks related to bivalve shellfish consumption.
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Research project IZS VE 08/10
Effectiveness of consensus conference targeting university students as a tool to communicate the microbiological risk of consuming meat products.
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Research project IZS VE 17/09
Communicating chemical risks in food: comparing paper and web communication tools
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Research project RF IZP 02/08
Development of nanotechnogical methods (biosensors) to detect hidden allergens in animal and vegetable origin food
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RF IZSVe 02/2008
Risk-benefit analysis as a tool to support and evaluate nutritional strategies
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Research project IZS VE 11/07
Design of a communication campaign based on the perception of risks associated with consumption of some typical regional (Trentino Alto Adige) products
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Research project IZS VE 04/06
Food risks perception in the population of Triveneto: comparison between beliefs and eating behaviours
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Research project IZS VE 08/04
Food safety: development of effective tools to be employed in risk analysis
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Three-year Plan on food safety in the Veneto Region 2002-2004
Food risks perception in Veneto Region.
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Publications

Crovato, S. Pinto, A., Arcangeli, G., Mascarello, G. & Ravarotto, L. (2017). Risky behaviours from the production to the consumption of bivalve molluscs: Involving stakeholders in the prioritization process based on consensus methods, Food Control, 78, 426-435
Mascarello G, Pinto A, Marcolin S, Crovato S, Ravarotto L. (2017). Ethnic food consumption: Habits and risk perception in Italy. Journal of Food Safety.00:e12361.
Tiozzo B., Mari S., Ruzza M., Crovato S. & Ravarotto L. (2016). Consumers’ perceptions of food risks: A snapshot of the Italian Triveneto area. Appetite, 111, 105-115.
Crovato S., Pinto A., Giardullo P., Mascarello G., Neresini F., Ravarotto, L. (2016).Food safety and young consumers: testing a serious game as a risk communication tool. Food Control, 62, 134-141.
Bonaldo S., Crovato., Ravarotto L. (2015). Mangiare carne in modo sicuro: le linee guida dell’IZSVe. Eurocarni, (9), 82-84
Pinto A., Mascarello G., Parise N., Bonaldo S., Crovato S. & Ravarotto L. (2015).Italian consumers’ attitudes towards food risks: self-protective and non-self-protective profiles for effective risk communication. Journal of Risk Research, 1-19.
Ravarotto L., Crovato S., Mantovani C., D’Este F., Pinto A., Mascarello G. (2015). Reducing microbiological risk in the kitchen: piloting consensus conference methodology as a communication strategy, Journal of Risk Research.
Mascarello G., Pinto A., Parise N., Crovato S., Ravarotto L. (2015). The perception of food quality: profiling italian consumers. Appetite, 89, 175–182.
Bonaldo S., Ravarotto L. (2014). Giovani e consumo di latte: uno studio di comunicazione del rischio per sviluppare conoscenze. Eurocarni (9), 118-119.
Ravarotto L., Mascarello G., Pinto A., Schiavo M., Bagni M., Decastelli L. (2014). Food allergies in school: design and evaluation of a teacher-oriented training action. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 40(1), 1-9.
Mascarello G., Crovato S., Pinto A., Gallina A., Siegrist,M., Ravarotto L. (2014). Communicating chemical risk in food to adolescents. A comparison of web and print media. Food Control, 35(1), 407-412.
Ravarotto L., Mascarello G., Petrucco C. (2013). Digital Storytelling per l’insegnamento della sicurezza alimentare in Le narrazioni digitali per l’ educazione e la formazione, a cura di De Rossi M., Petrucco C., Carocci Editore, Roma.
Crovato S., Ravarotto L. (2013). Latte crudo: il rischio microbiologico legato al suo consumo, in Barbaro MC, Salinetti S., Scavia G. (ed.). Latte e dintorni: rischi e benefici correlati al consumo di latte. Roma: Istituto superiore di Sanità; 2013. Dispense per la scuola, 13(1), 29-36.
Mattiello F., Bolzan M., Ravarotto L. (2012). Assessing perceived food chemical risk by means of an educational project analysed with permutation tests. Quaderni di Statistica, Liguori, 14(14).
Ravarotto L., Zanini G., Pegoraro R. (2012). Comunicazione del rischio ed etica alimentare. Italiaetica, anno VI, n°1 Aprile, 56-71.
Visintin E. P., Crovato S., Falvo R., Canova, L. Ravarotto, L., Capozza D. (2012). Consuming traditional food products of one’s province: A test of planned behavior theory. TPM – Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 19(1).
Trifiletti E., Crovato S., Capozza D., Visintin E. P., Ravarotto L. (2012). Evaluating the Effects of a Message on Attitude and Intention To Eat Raw Meat: Salmonellosis Prevention. Journal of Food Protection, 75(2), 394-399.
Tiozzo B., Mari S., Magaudda P., Arzenton, V., Capozza, D., Neresini, F., Ravarotto, L. (2011). Development and evaluation of a risk-communication campaign on salmonellosis. Food Control, 22(1), 109-117.
Mari S., Tiozzo B., Capozza D., Ravarotto L. (2011). Are you cooking your meat enough? The efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behavior in predicting a best practice to prevent salmonellosis. Food Research International, 45(2),1175-1183.
Crovato S., Tiozzo B., Ravarotto L. (2011). Cibo e cittadini La percezione del rischio alimentare nel Triveneto. Ambiente risorse salute, (30), 137-140.
Contalbrigo L., Mascarello G., Ravarotto L. (2011). Rischio alimentare. Le paure a tavola. Argomenti, 13(3), 38-40.
Doremi D., Contalbrigo L., Mascarello G., Ravarotto L. (2011). Comunicazione del rischio e consumo consapevole. Sperimentazione applicata ai prodotti tipici trentini. Ingegneria Alimentare, 64-67.
Ricci A., Ravarotto L., Felicioni S., Sbordone F., Mioni R., Bonari S., Busani L., Capozza D., Arzenton V. (2007). Sicurezza Alimentare: studio di strumenti applicativi per la valutazione, gestione e comunicazione del rischio. Il Chirone, 2 (10).
Arzenton V., Neresini F., Ravarotto L. (2005). A tavola con sicurezza. La percezione del rischio alimentare in Veneto. Ergon, Vicenza.

Proceedings

Ravarotto L., Pinto A., Bonaldo S., Mascarello G., Crovato S. (2015). Bivalve shellfish consumption: engaging experts and stakeholders in risk assessment. Poster. 2^nd Efsa Scientific conference “Shaping the future of food safety, together”. EFSA journal 2015; 13(10):s1310,137 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.s1310, Milan, 14-16 october.
Mascarello G., Crovato S. Pinto A., D’Este F., Bonaldo S., Mantovani C., Ravarotto L. (2015). Piloting the consensus conference model on food safety issues: a dialog between experts and young consumers. Poster. 2^nd Efsa Scientific conference “Shaping the future of food safety, together”. EFSA journal 2015; 13(10):s1310,137 pp. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.s1310, Milan, 14-16 october.
Mascarello G., Pinto A., Bonaldo S., Crovato S., Mioni R., Ravarotto L. (2015). Who is the consumer of ethnic food? A study on Italian population. Poster. 11th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, Göteborg, 23-27 august.
Pinto A., Mascarello G., Crovato S., Bonaldo S., Tiozzo B., Ravarotto L. (2015). Risks related to bivalve shellfish consumption: appllication of participatory strategies for risk communication. 24rd SRA E- Conference, Maastricht, 15-17 june.
Tiozzo B., Mantovani C., Neresini F., Ravarotto L. (2015). Food risk media monitor: development of an automatic web tool analyse the italian mass media discourse in food safety and food related risks. 24rd SRA E- Conference, Maastricht, 15-17 june.
Tiozzo B., Pinto A., Parise N., Neresini F., Crovato S., Ravarotto L. (2015). Using time series to analyse the coverage of food safety issues in Italian newspapers. Considerations for an early identification of public concern for risks. 24rd SRA E- Conference, Maastricht, 15-17 june.
Crovato S., Mantovani C., Pinto A., D’Este F., Mascarello G., Ravarotto L. (2014). Defining guidelines for the management of microbiological risk in food: application of the consensus conference methodology. 23rd SRA E- Conference, Istanbul, 16-18 june.
Pinto A., Mascarello G., Parise N., Bonaldo S., Crovato S., Ravarotto L. (2014). A classification of Italian consumers based on a proposed measure of their attitudes towards food risks. Poster. SIS 2014 47th Scientific meeting of the Italian Statistical Society, Cagliari, 11-13 june.
Mascarello G., Pinto A., Bonaldo S., Mantovani C., Crovato S., Ravarotto L. (2014). Sperimentazione della consensus conference quale metodologia partecipativa per comunicare efficacemente ai giovani il rischio microbiologico alimentare. Poster. II Convegno dell’Associazione Alessandro Liberati/Network Italiano Cochrane “Gli amori difficili. Ricerca e comunicazione possono andare d’accordo?” IRCCS – Istituto di ricerche farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, 23 may.
Mantovani C., Mascarello G., Pinto A., D’Este F., Gallina A., Ravarotto L. (2014). Bringing scientific research into the classroom. INTED 2014 8th International technology education and development conference, Valencia, 10-12 march.
Crovato S., Mascarello G., Pinto A., Ravarotto L. (2013). Testing a serious game for communicating food risk to young consumers: “A mysterious poisoning”. Poster. Edulearn13 5th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona, 1-3 july.
Mascarello G., Crovato S., Pinto A., Ravarotto L. (2013). Digital and paper tools for food safety education: exploring adolescents’ preference. Edulearn13 5th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, Barcelona,1-3 july.
Mascarello G., Crovato S., Pinto A., Ravarotto L. (2013). Communicating risks to young consumers.The raw milk experience in Italy. SRA Europe 22th Annual Conference, Trondheim, 17-19 june.
Ravarotto L., Mascarello G., Pinto A., Crovato S. (2012). “Against chemical risk”. La tecnica dello storytelling applicata alla comunicazione del rischio chimico negli alimenti. III Convegno nazionale di ricerca in sanità pubblica veterinaria, Rome, 13 september.
Mascarello G., Crovato S., Tiozzo B., Petrucco C., Siegrist M., Ravarotto L. (2012). Chemical risk in food: comparing web- and paper-based communication tools, SRA Europe 21th Annual Conference, Zurich, 18-20 june.
Ravarotto L., Crovato S., Mascarello G., Contalbrigo L., Tiozzo B. (2012). Self-perception of food related risks: a survey on Italian consumers, SRA Europe 21th Annual Conference, Zurich, 18-20 june.
Petrucco C., Mascarello G., Ravarotto L. (2012). Using Digital Storytelling to communicate chemical risks in food to high school students. First Global Conference “Storytelling: Global Reflections on Narrative”, Prague, 3-15 may.
Crovato S., Favero L., Mascarello G., Valente A, Pozzato N. (2012). A two-level training and communication program on bovine paratuberculosis in the Veneto Region, Proceedings 11ICP 11th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sidney, february.
Ravarotto L., Mascarello G. (2011). Digital Storytelling per l’insegnamento della sicurezza alimentare. International Conference “Metodologie narrative nei processi educativi e formativi: le potenzialità del Digital Storytelling”, Università degli Studi di Padova, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Educazione, Padua, 4 october.
Ravarotto L., Capozza D., Favara I., Mari S., Trifiletti E. (2009). Messaggi affettivi versus cognitivi nelle comunicazioni relative alla salute. Poster. AIP-IX Congresso Sezione di Psicologia Sociale, Cagliari, 14-16 september.
Mari S., Tiozzo B., Arzenton V., Magaudda P., Capozza D., Ravarotto L. (2009). Food risk perception in North East Italy: Challenges for public health communication. Poster. EFFoST 2009, Budapest, 11-13 november.
Tiozzo B., Mari S., Magaudda P., Arzenton V., Mantovani C., Capozza D., Neresini F., Ravarotto L. (2009). Producing en effective health communication campaign to prevent salmonellosis infection, Annual SRA European Meeting, Karlstad, 28 june -1 july.
Mantovani C., Pulici L., Ravarotto L. (2006). A tavola con sicurezza. “Le dimensioni del rischio”. Un’indagine sulla percezione dei rischi alimentari nella popolazione del Veneto. Poster. Expò sanità. Bologna, 25-27 may.
Ravarotto L., Arzenton V., Pulici L., Vio P., Neresini F. (2005). Perception of food related risks in Veneto region (Italy): impact of animal welfare, Proceedings International Conference “Food Safety Risk Communication” (EU-RAIN), Göteborg, 19-20 may.

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