A roadmap for developing educational actions using food safety culture assessment - A case of an institutional food service

Food safety (FS) culture has been recognised as a phenomenon that can shape food safety behaviour. Specific educational actions can improve food safety behaviour. This study aimed to build a roadmap to guide the development of educational actions based on the assessment of the prevailing FS-culture. The study was conducted in an institutional food service in the Brazilian air force. A previously-developed mixed-methods and data triangulation approach was used to assess the FS-culture based on eight elements (leadership, communication, knowledge, commitment, risk perception, work pressure and normative beliefs, work environment, and management systems, styles, and process). The roadmap was designed based on a combination of the FS-culture element score (1-reactive, 2-active, and 3-proactive) and priority levels (highest, moderate, lowest, and no priority) of proposed topics to be included in educational actions. Such topics were based on specific literature about food safety culture and the behaviour of food handlers. The FS-culture diagnosis in the air force food service demonstrated an active to proactive FS-culture; the element work pressure and normative beliefs showed the highest score (3 - proactive), whereas risk perception and management systems, styles, and process indicated the lowest scores (1-2 - reactive to active). Based on the weaknesses and strengths in the prevailing FS-culture, the roadmap revealed that the topics showing the lowest scores, risk perception and management systems, styles, and process, had the highest priority to be included in the educational actions. The designed roadmap may support food services in making decisions about food safety education towards a proactive FS-culture.

Automated summary

This study aimed to build a roadmap for educational actions based on the assessment of food safety culture in an institutional food service in the Brazilian air force. The study found that work pressure and normative beliefs were strengths of the culture, while risk perception and management systems, styles, and process were weaknesses. Based on these findings, a roadmap was designed to support the food service in developing a proactive food safety culture.