The public opinion dissemination and evolution of food safety scandals
A case study from China
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22093069 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Weihuan Su (0000-0002-6250-8702, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics), Xiaodong Guo (0000-0003-2180-1985, Wuhan University of Technology, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-12 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-900X • E-ISSN: 2297-900X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fcomm.2025.1715575 |
| OpenAlex | W7122590334 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 35 |
Background Food safety scandals pose severe threats to public health and social stability, often triggering widespread emotional reactions and disruptive public opinion crises. Understanding the mechanisms driving public opinion evolution in such scenarios is crucial for effective crisis management. Method To investigate these mechanisms, we developed the HK-SNPR model, which incorporates differentiated dissemination propensities. The model was applied to analyze public opinion data from the "McDonald's relabeling expired food" incident in China. Result The analysis revealed that negative opinions from high-influence users are most likely to provoke large-scale dissemination of public sentiment. Authoritative individuals exerted stronger influence than professional experts. Furthermore, the interaction between incident severity and individual involvement significantly steered the evolution of public opinion. Additionally, positive opinions played a critical yet asymmetric role, serving as a key leverage point for accelerating the attenuation of public opinion crises. Conclusion These findings provide important insights for the effective management and control of public opinion related to food safety scandals, highlighting the pivotal influence of key user groups and the stabilizing potential of positive information
China · Dissemination · Food safety · Information Dissemination · Opinion leadership · Public opinion · Social media · Data-Driven Disease Surveillance · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Risk Perception and Management
Reaching a Consensus
Mixing beliefs among interacting agents
Construal-level theory of psychological distance.
Emergence of Scaling in Random Networks
Research on online public opinion dissemination and emergency countermeasures of food safety in universities—take the rat head and duck neck incident in China as an example
Public Perceptions of Food Contamination Risks
The Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion
Dual-Path Effect of Mortality Salience Induced by Covid-19 on Food Safety Behavior in China
Are Chinese Netizens Willing to Speak Out? The Spiral of Silence in Public Reactions to Controversial Food Safety Issues on Social Media
When expert recommendation contradicts peer opinion
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |