Food Safety Culture: Creating a Behaviour‐based Food Safety Management System

Citation

Griffith, C.J. (2010), "Food Safety Culture: Creating a Behaviour‐based Food Safety Management System", British Food Journal, Vol. 112 No. 4, pp. 457-458. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701011034457

The concept and topic of food safety culture has come of age over the past two years. It has been talked about it at conferences, used as a risk factor in food poisoning outbreak investigations but this is the first book on the subject and as such its publication is very timely.

The book is written by one of the few experts on the topic and one who has very good practical working knowledge of the subject. The word practical is important here as the book is designed as a practical primer on the topic, if you are looking for a full textbook with all the background theory you may be disappointed but if you are looking for an easier read with written with a practical perspective you will probably be delighted.

It is a slim volume divided into 10 chapters and simple maths would tell you the chapters are readable “bite sized” packages of information. The first chapter deals with background information on food safety/food poisoning with an emphasis on “retail “and giving a brief introduction to the need for behaviour change in improving food handling and could be omitted for people with a good food safety background. Thus in theory most books should be read starting from the beginning but with this book it is possible to read the chapters as self contained units – although if this is done I would suggest starting with Chapter 9 with a particular look at the diagram on page 78 and probably this diagram would have been useful at the very beginning (although to be fair it does also appear on page 27) as it really sets out how the book would have progressed.

Chapter 2 is a useful brief introduction to the concept of culture and what it is – and perhaps most importantly the part on page 16 on leadership – a much under discussed and appreciated factor in providing safe food. Many businesses lack a truly passionate food safety champion. A minor criticism is although the book is perfectly correct in stating the importance of top management in providing leadership it is also required at middle and lower levels of responsibility in food companies –such as store or departmental level. Chapter 3 is probably one of the weaker chapters in the book and fits slightly uneasily into the flow of information. It is more theoretical than the other chapters, which are far more practical although could easily be made more applied with some minor changes of focus with more practical examples or anecdotes.

Chapter 4 is where the book really starts to be a practical primer starting with fleshing out the model of behaviour based food safety management Chapter 5 looks at the hot topic of training and raises valid doubts about the ability of training to be a panacea. Training provides the knowledge for people to act hygienically when they are motivated to do so. The quotes that start every chapter are perhaps particularly important for this chapter.

Chapter 6 deals with a very important topic of food safety communication – crucial in creating the right type of culture but often very poorly implemented in businesses – communication should cover the overt AND subliminal messages. Far too often top management send out mixed messages over food safety. Chapters 7 and 8 deal with the leadership related issues of goals, vision, consequences and rewards. The type of trust and blame culture links very much to food handler performance and considering the short length of the book these topics are well dealt with.

Overall, the book is an both an easy and a good read, if one were to make criticisms it could be said the book lacks some depth and also does not highlight the topics theoretical roots. However, the book is intended as a practical primer and these changes may detract from its real value. To summarize, this book should be on the shelves of most people with an interest in food safety and to use a well known English phrase “it does what it says on the tin” i.e. the full title accurately describes the contents and in this sense the book does not disappoint.