Food MArketing & Technology In India Food Marketing & Technology In India Vol 10 | Page 34

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FOOD SAFETY CULTURE IN THE
INDIAN FOOD MARKET
BY: ATUL GANEDIWALA *
E
verything in a business is
majorly impacted by the culture
of its organisation. A variety of
elements such as work environment,
company mission, value, ethics,
expectations and goals are part of
company culture. In case of the food
and drink industry, food safety is part
of that culture, potentially making
or breaking a business. Food safety
culture is therefore need of the hour
considering the growing demand of
food which is not only branded but
also safe for consumption.
Digital social-media exposure makes a
consumer aware about the right choices
and provides plethora of mediums to
condemn the dissatisfaction towards
a product. Indian regulatory bodies
are taking all the right steps to make
sure food businesses implement best
practices to ensure the safety. With
the recent declaration of the first
‘World Food Safety Day’ on 7th June,
2019 by World Health Organisation
(WHO), it appears that food industry
is going to shape its future with special
consideration to the consumers’ health
and safety.
What is Food Safety culture?
An organisation’s food safety culture
can be determined by the reflection
of the collective attitude, belief and
behaviour of the food handlers,
supervisors, managers and decision
makers. Practices implemented at
workplaces and documentation to
maintain food safety and hygiene are
influenced by those principles. Values
are also equally held by employees.
There is often a mismatch observed
between rules and regulations set by
leadership and execution by staff.
Across the food industry, food safety in
organizational culture is inconsistently
Task based cultures: Being an ideal
culture, it garners the best interest
from the team to solve and manage
problems by employing best of what
team collectively embarks thereby
encouraging person’s growth and
recognition. Power, status and reward
arise from group accomplishment,
rather than being ascribed to ‘heroic’
individuals. With regard to creating
a culture change in terms of food
hygiene and safety, it is clear that
staff benefits from empowerment
while supporting leadership efforts at
improving practice.
implemented. Some businesses have
strategic risk management and an
effective system in place, along with
competent leadership, staff who
recognise its importance and are
sincerely
responsible.
Moreover,
some businesses might just deny
the potential risks, cut corners and
either actively deny or underplay the
potential health risks, reputational
damage, and threat to the business that
food safety failings can inflict. Why Food Safety Culture is Good
for your Business?
When we take the Indian scenario of
organisational culture, with specific
focus on food business sector, there
are three types of cultures based on
power, roles and task, to demonstrate
how workers can be empowered and
responsible towards food hygiene and
safety and the way for how culture can
be transformed. Food Safety Standard Authority of
India (FSSAI) has launched food
hygiene rating which is an online,
transparent scoring and rating process.
It aims to allow consumers to make
informed choices about eat-out
places. These choices can encourage
businesses to improve their hygiene
standards eventually reducing the
incidence of food-borne illness. Having
Power-Based cultures: Power-based
culture predominates in many Indian
Food Business start-ups, where power
is held by just a few individuals
spreading the influence. Employees are
generally judged by what they achieve
rather than how they perform things,
which can favour quick decision-
making, even if it is against the interest
in long-term.
Role-Based cultures: This culture
is common in much established
businesses where title and individual
personality drives the authority, power
and resources representing a pyradimic
structure; wherein particular decision
needs are unidirectionally passed from
top. Employees are not empowered to
take charge when situation demands.
Eventually being demotivated to
proactively solve problems, it leads to
disengagement. A typical case of “not
my problem” attitude emerges.
Food Marketing & Technology
34
August 2019