Factors Affecting on the Continuous Improvement of ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management System; Case Study of a Cinnamon Processing Plant

Abstract

Food safety is a fundamental public health concern for every performer in the food supply chain because wide number of food borne hazards present in the foods may cause many health problems and adverse effects for the global food trade. International organization for standardization has developed the international standard; ISO 22000 which specifies the basic requirements for a food safety management system in an organization. In order to enhance the food safety while reducing risks associated, it is vital to maintain the continuous improvement of this food safety management system in any processing plant. Even in cinnamon processing plants, it is essential to maintain the acquired long standing reputation in the international market. Therefore, this study was aimed to identify different organizational factors and the severity of the influential factors on continuous improvement of ISO 22000:2005 food safety management system. The primary data were collected from all respondents (30) who work in the plant through self-administered questionnaires and collected data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model. According to the results, there were strong positive linear relationships between all the organizational factors and continuous improvement of ISO 22000:2005 food safety management system (R2=0.851; p< 0.01). Management commitment (p<0.05) and contribution of human resources for food safety management (p<0.1) significantly affected on continuous improvement of ISO 22000:2005 food safety management system. The study suggested to concern more on organizational factors along with the food safety standard and to provide sufficient training to enhance the knowledge of the workers about food safety, food safety risks and issues, and food safety requirements.