Drivers for the implementation of market-based food safety management systems: Evidence from Lebanon

Case Studies of Small-Medium Food Enterprises around the World: Major Constraints and Benefits from the Implementation of Food Safety Management Systems

Global food safety and security are key principles to be followed in the context of the implementation of food safety management systems. The objective of this paper is to assess the contemporary developments of Food Safety Management System standards (FSMS) worldwide and to identify the primary constraints and advantages associated with their implementation by small and medium-sized enterprises across different regions. The effectiveness of these systems has also been evaluated. 116 case studies have been employed across developing and developed regions worldwide across 27 primary food sectors. After the implementation of FSMS, there was a significant increase in the percentage of companies that have implemented the international FSMS, both in developed (16.7% to 63.9%) and developing countries (26.6% to 48.1%). Certification has also increased from 34.2% to 59.6% in the total sample, namely from 33.3% to 61.1% in developed countries and from 34.6% to 59.0% in developing countries. There was a significant increase in medium vs. small company size (57.1% to 62.3%, p = 0.046), only in developing countries. Food safety culture and manager leadership implementation were increased to over 80% after FSMS implementation in both developed and developing countries (p < 0.001). Training, resources, and technology adequacy were also increased in all companies (p < 0.001).

Significance of the level of implementation of food legislation and the food safety management system in Ukraine for the dynamics of the spread of food poisoning (retro analysis)

Ensuring safe nutrition is one of the important tasks of each state for the proper state of public health. In developed countries such as the US and the EU, food safety is a public health priority and is ensured through the development of a regulatory framework, the establishment and implementation of effective food safety systems throughout the food chain. However, despite the existence of legislation and government oversight, official data show a high number of outbreaks of foodborne diseases in these countries. In this regard, WHO calls on states to constantly monitor the situation with the occurrence of food poisoning in order to improve the means of monitoring the safe nutrition of the population. In Ukraine, there is food legislation, which was formed much later than in the EU and the USA, and later the mechanism for ensuring safe food was introduced – the HACCP system (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control, English Point). The article presents retrospective analytical data related to the occurrence of food poisoning among the population of Ukraine in the pre-war period (2019−2020) and analyzes the problems that contributed to the emergence of these diseases. Comparison in dynamics allows to see not only the changes that have taken place, but also to understand the advantages and disadvantages that were applied in the previous period and develop measures based on the experience gained over the past years. The target issues of this article were the analysis of international and national food legislation as important tools for managing the level of food poisoning, a retro-analysis of the level of food poisoning in different regions of Ukraine and the establishment of factors that contributed to the occurrence of these diseases

Implementation of Food Safety Management Systems along with Other Management Tools (HAZOP, FMEA, Ishikawa, Pareto). The Case Study of Listeria monocytogenes and Correlation with Microbiological Criteria

The food industry’s failure in planning and designing of and in implementing a Food Safety Management System and its foundation elements leads, in most instances, to compromised food safety and subsequent foodborne illness outbreaks. This phenomenon was noticed, worldwide, for all food processors, but with a much higher incidence in the medium- and small-sized food processing plants. Our study focuses on the importance of Food Safety Management System (FSMS), Critical Control Points Hazard Analysis (HACCP) and the Prerequisite Programs (PRPs) as the foundation of HACCP, in preventing foodborne outbreaks. For emphasis, we make use of the example of organizational food safety culture failures and the lack of managerial engagement which resulted in a multi-state listeriosis outbreak in USA. Moreover, we correlate this with microbiological criteria. Implementation of food safety management systems (ISO 22000:2018) along with incorporation of management tools such as HAZOP, FMEA, Ishikawa and Pareto have proved to be proactive in the maintenance of a positive food safety culture and prevention of cross-contamination and fraud.

ISO Standards: A Platform for Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has recently begun promoting the linkages between its standards and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, further research is needed to explore how ISO standards can serve as a platform for achieving the SDGs. In this paper, we discuss the interlinkage between ISO standards and SDG 2 (i.e., Zero hunger—End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture). We review the literature on a set of 77 ISO standards related to SDG 2 and study existing evidence pertinent to SDG 2 and its targets. Specifically, we review research in four key areas of interest: agricultural productivity of ISO certified firms, adoption of ISO standards amongst small scale producers, ISO standards development, and governance of standards. We found implicit evidence in the literature that ISO standards have the potential to contribute to two SDG 2 targets, namely targets 2.3 and 2.4. Some aspects of ISO standards, however, such as low levels of adoption amongst small scale farmers or a lack of multi-stakeholder standard development, contradict key aspects of the SDG agenda. We outline key areas for future research in the four areas of interest noted above.