Food safety in the Alberta food industry: Industry assessments.

摘要

The objective of this thesis study is to identify factors that influence Alberta food processors' food safety decisions. Data for this study were collected in a 2008 survey of Alberta food processors. It is hypothesized that pressures from government, industry, and consumers influence firms' food safety decisions. Data on respondent firms' perceptions, attitudes and characteristics are analyzed using nonparametric statistical approaches; logit models are estimated. Analysis indicates that firms perceive their consumers as viewing potential hazards to be more dangerous to food safety than the firms themselves consider these hazards. Firms' responses associated good manufacturing practices with both improved food safety and improved business performance. Only minimal support is found for government, industry and consumer pressures as influencers of HACCP adoption in Alberta. Structural issues are identified which may impact policy implementation. The conclusions provide insights into Alberta food processors' food safety strategies and may contribute to food safety policy.