Approach to the Adoption of Multiple Food Safety Management Systems in Food Industry

Abstract

The present study attempts to fill a gap in the extant literature on Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS), by providing quantitative empirical evidence about the approach and pattern of adoption of multiple FSMS (MFSMS) standards by the food processors. The effects of selected business and operational factors on the pattern of adoption of MFSMS were also analysed. The term Multiple Food Safety Management Systems is used by the study for the situation in which one organisation has adopted and implemented more than one FSMS standard. The ideal scenario is that an organisation adopting an internationally accepted and benchmarked standard, efficiently and effectively implement and maintain the same. The research was conducted in 119 seafood-processing firms in India using a structured questionnaire. Basic statistical analyses were done using SPSS 22.0. The findings bring up important issues with implications on the policies of food processors, standard developers, benchmarking bodies, certification bodies, and organised customers. The MFSMS was found mainly in the factories focused on export business. The study revealed an alarming increase in the adoption of MFSMS in the food industry. The direct involvement of certification bodies in the implementation of FSMS was also observed. The results of the study trigger the need to review the benchmarking process, educating and communicating about benchmarking among the industry stakeholders and the importance of planned approach in the adoption and certification of FSMS standards focusing on efficiency and effectiveness of FSMS, so that there is no need of adopting MFSMS standards.

Keywords: Multiple Food Safety Management Systems, FSMS, Seafood, Standard, Adoption, Profile

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