Food MArketing & Technology In India Food Marketing & Technology In India Vol 10 | Page 35

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said that, Indian consumers have voice
of their own to raise concerns with
the safety of food being produced.
It is always going to be relatively on
any of the digital platform, thanks to
the social media, the power for both
positive and negative publicity cannot
be underestimated. The following
illustration demonstrate the food
safety concerns among consumers.
Organisations having a food safety
culture will always proactively ensure
the conduct of good practices. In the
absence of food safety culture, one
can assume a high rate of customer
complaints, disinterest of staff with
poor pay-scale, high absentees and
attrition rate. Not to mention ultimately
the high turnover of staff increasing
the repeated efforts required to train
the staff. All this at a cost of unhygienic
conditions, operational malpractices,
food safety management systems will
ultimately be ineffective. Repercussions
in such cases are outbreaks of food-
borne illness, damage to the company
reputation, legal notices, which may
finally lead to business closure.
What are the benefits of a Good
Food Safety Culture?
A good food safety culture ensures
commercial viability. High quality
products produced by market-leaders
offer reliability to customers, where
food producers operate in the business
to business sector, clients can be
confident of their own protection as a
supplier to the public. Enhancing food
safety standards of one’s organisation
requires
engagement
from
the
boardroom to distribution.
When it is evident for an employee that
successful business will acquire higher
remuneration,
bring
professional
credibility, the staff retention will
follow
with
improved
morale.
While staff is happier, capacity and
productivity will improve thereby
creating greater profitability.
How to build a Food safety
culture?
Based on the study conducted by the
Institute of Employment Studies, Food
safety Culture is said to have following
elements,
1. Priorities and Attitudes: Food
business’s attitude towards food
safety and the degree to which it is
prioritised.
2. Perceptions and Knowledge of
Food Hazards: Management, staff
perception and knowledge of the
hazards in food hygiene includes
awareness of whether they are
significant enough to justify
requirements.
3. Confidence
in
Food
Safety
Requirements: The extent to
which the business perceives the
food hygiene regulations and