scholarly journals Improving Food Safety Culture in Nigeria: A Review of Practical Issues

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1878
Author(s):  
Helen Onyeaka ◽  
Osmond C. Ekwebelem ◽  
Ukpai A. Eze ◽  
Queeneth I. Onwuka ◽  
Job Aleke ◽  
...  

As a developing nation and the most populous nation in Africa, Nigeria has enormous challenges connected with food safety culture. To produce and provide safe, secure and nutritious food, consumers and food businesses must abide by a set of shared values known as food safety culture. In Nigeria, food safety culture is a complex subject due to Nigeria’s heterogeneous and diverse nature, as demonstrated by its over 250 ethnic groups. As Nigeria becomes more urbanized and incomes continue to fluctuate at robust rates, few Nigerians are conscious of food safety issues. In addition, oversight from government regulators around food safety require improvement. Public engagement in food safety issues has not witnessed a promising trajectory in recent years. In this article, we provide a review of the food safety culture in Nigeria and its role and influence on various cases of food safety issues in Nigeria. Of interest to this paper are studies exploring consumer and food handler perceptions and behavior regarding food safety. In addition, keen attention is devoted to areas that are in need of additional research to help address practical and on-the-ground challenges associated with Nigeria’s food safety practices. This article suggests that improving food safety culture in Nigeria requires both applying the best management and communication approaches in different regions and understanding the local food safety practices.

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1112-1129
Author(s):  
Dima Faour-Klingbeil ◽  
Victor Kuri ◽  
Ewen Todd

PurposeThe objectives of this study were to compare the hygiene standards and food handling practices between sole-proprietor and the corporate-managed restaurants in Lebanon and to determine whether the variations between both groups are explained by and directly related to the type of management.Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth observation assessment of food safety environment and practices was conducted on a convenient sample of 50 food businesses in Beirut, which are typical of foodservice outlets in Lebanon and in many countries of the Middle East. The observation assessment checklist comprised six constructs of 2–7 components for analysis. It covered all areas including documentation and record-keeping requirements, which are crucial parts of a food safety system.FindingsThere was a significant difference in the visual assessment score between sole-proprietor (77.9 ± 18.4) and corporate group (48.5 ± 12.8). Food handlers' behavior and hygiene standards were significantly associated with the type of management. However, there were still critical gaps in the food safety performance of the corporate group suggesting other underlying factors than the type of management.Practical implicationsAdditional elements were drawn from this study for future food safety culture research. Understanding the food safety attitudes and perception of risks of the management representatives, leaders, or food business owners is vital to develop appropriate food safety interventions and foster a positive food safety culture in the foodservice industry.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study not only in Lebanon (or MENA) but also in other regions to measure the association of management type, that is, sole-proprietor management and corporate management, with the food hygiene standards and food safety practices in the foodservice establishments. This paper presents new findings that will be of value for researchers in food safety and will complement the existing literature on food safety culture in the foodservice industry.


Author(s):  
Sigune Lopp ◽  
Joel M. Goebelbecker ◽  
Patrick C. Ruff

AbstractThe current draft of Regulation (EC) 852/2004 promotes a food safety culture as a general principle. The various stakeholders evaluate this planned new development quite differently. While this is very welcome from a scientific point of view, there are still considerable objections from stakeholders of the area for implementation and monitoring. The challenge is how to integrate the principles into industry, and to measure and verify their effectiveness. In this article, the dimensions of food safety culture are illustrated, and an evaluation system is outlined.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Taylor ◽  
Jean Pierre Garat ◽  
Samer Simreen ◽  
Ghida Sarieddine

Purpose – This paper aims to outline the food safety roles and responsibilities within the industry that play an important role in the success of government initiatives, demonstrated using a new model of Food Safety Culture Excellence. It is the sixth article in a Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes theme issue presenting a comprehensive government strategy for improving food safety management standards across the hospitality industry. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is used to demonstrate the impact of auditing the 16 dimensions of Food Safety Culture Excellence in practice. The business selected was the first in Abu Dhabi to achieve regulatory compliance for HACCP-based food safety management, and the first to conduct a Food Safety Culture Excellence audit in the United Arab Emirates. Findings – This article demonstrates how the concept of food safety culture works in practice, using the Food Safety Culture Excellence Model with four categories and 16 dimensions. It demonstrates how the auditing of culture within a business can highlight strengths and weaknesses and facilitate continual improvement. Originality/value – The article represents the first published model of Food Safety Culture Excellence, an extensively researched and tested model developed by Taylor Shannon International Ltd. and launched in conjunction with Campden BRI in 2014. It also demonstrates the first audit of the model in practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-39
Author(s):  
Patricia AmeLia Tomei ◽  
Giuseppe Maria Russo

Objetivo do Trabalho: A literatura sobre Cultura de Segurança de Alimentos (CSA) tem evoluído na dimensão conceitual, mas ainda é incipiente no que diz respeito a criação de instrumentos de mensuração e avaliação quantitativa. Para preencher esta lacuna, este artigo apresenta um modelo que apresenta o Índice de Maturidade da Cultura de Segurança de Alimentos (IMCSA), e faz uma uma validação do instrumento. Metodologia: O modelo proposto do Índice de Maturidade da Cultura de Segurança de Alimentos (IMCSA) possui nove dimensões que englobam os principais construtos da CSA. Para a validação semântica do modelo foram realizados 15 workshops e 30 entrevistas; e para a validação do modelo foi realizada uma pesquisa com participantes de duas empresas do setor de Alimentos Bebidas. Para a validação de face, foram convidados especialistas que avaliaram a consistência dos construtos. Foi utilizado o procedimento estatístico de análise fatorial exploratória (AFE) com o intuito de reduzir o conjunto de variáveis a um número menor de fatores, para caracterizar as dimensões de atributo do objeto avaliado.   Originalidade: A importância da CSA se fundamenta na literatura organizacional que identifica as limitações das abordagens técnicas na produção de alimentos seguros. Uma cultura madura que traduz claramente o significado do valor segurança, favorece o entendimento das regras do jogo e a internalização de comportamentos esperados, diminuindo as necessidades de controle e supervisão. Além disso, se apresenta um modelo de avaliação da CSA validado.   Principais Resultados: Os resultados das correlações da validação de face variaram entre 79% e 84%, tendo apresentado consenso na maioria dos construtos. Os valores de Alfa de Cronbach variaram entre 0,695 e 0,844, evidenciando consistência interna satisfatória. Os resultados apontam para sete fatores que explicam 70,61% da variância dos dados: Liderança, Percepção de Risco, Sistema Gerencial, Comunicação, Comprometimento, Pressão no Trabalho e Trabalho em Equipe. Por outro lado, as análises estatísticas não suportaram a variância de dois fatores identificados na literatura: Infraestrutura e Responsabilidade. Constatou-se que o instrumento é válido, robusto e relevante para o avanço da análise da SA e para a mensuração CSA de uma organização; mas que demanda novos testes para sua generalização, com uma escala intervalar de sete pontos que capte toda a variabilidade de percepções dos participantes da pesquisa, e amostras maiores e mais diversificadas que minimizem os possíveis viéses decorrentes das diferenças das culturas organizacionais e subculturas. Contribuições Teóricas: A fundamentação teórica do IMCSA que embasou suas dimensões, indicadores e variáveis, nos oferece uma ferramenta robusta para a análise da maturidade da CSA de uma organização. Para aprimoramento metodológico do modelo sugerimos: a mudança do IMCSA para uma escala de sete pontos e pesquisas futuras com amostras estratificadas que permitam avaliar contextos culturais diversificados.   Palavras-chave: Cultura Organizacional. Cultura de Segurança. Cultura de Segurança de Alimentos. Maturidade em Segurança de Alimentos.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-262
Author(s):  
Robin B. DiPietro ◽  
Kimberly Harris ◽  
Dan Jin

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate restaurant employee behaviors and their likelihood of intervening when witnessing food safety threats.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method was used for this study with the focus group interview and survey questionnaire. A total of eight focus groups ranging in number of participants from to 6 to 12 were asked to respond to presented scenarios that depicted restaurant employees committing food safety risk behaviors and threats in the restaurant environment that would present food safety risks such as out-of-stock bathroom supplies, dirty tables in the restaurant dining area, employee personal hygiene issues and unclean production equipment. These participants were also asked to complete a draft of the survey that would later be edited and distributed to the sample population.FindingsResults suggest that social norms and perceived severity of threats impact the likelihood that restaurant employees will intervene. Implications for academics and practitioners are discussed.Originality/valueThis study was special as it provides a synthetic viewpoint that considers how service organizations can work to do a better job of interviewing employees before starting their jobs about their beliefs and personal practices of food safety at home, their previous work in the restaurant industry and food safety culture that they may have worked in before, as well as increasing the communication in restaurants to build a food safety culture. These practices can help to lower risks to the public regarding food safety and can help to build relationship trust in the brands that we all love to indulge in when dining out.


Food Control ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 107075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shingai P. Nyarugwe ◽  
Anita R. Linnemann ◽  
Yingxue Ren ◽  
Evert-Jan Bakker ◽  
Jamal B. Kussaga ◽  
...  

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