Food safety culture – the food inspectors’ perspective
Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes
ISSN: 1755-4217
Article publication date: 11 June 2018
Issue publication date: 11 June 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges for food inspectors when attempting to assess the food safety culture of a business. It is the eighth article in this issue of Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, discussing the importance of measuring food safety and quality culture.
Design/methodology/approach
As part of a larger research project, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the current challenges faced by food inspectors in assessing food safety and the future prospects of measuring food safety culture in the UK food system.
Findings
Food inspectors face increasing challenges in their role of assessing not just the visible level of legal compliance but also potential risk within a food business; while aware of the importance of food safety culture, they are unsure how to formally assess it. The UK Food Standards Agency developed a toolkit to assist inspectors in assessing the food safety culture of a business; however, this has been found to be onerous and difficult to implement in practice.
Originality/value
This paper will be of value to practitioners, researchers and other stakeholders involved in the hospitality industry.
Keywords
Citation
Nayak, R. and Taylor, J.Z. (2018), "Food safety culture – the food inspectors’ perspective", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 376-381. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-02-2018-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited