title: Challenges in performance of food safety management systems: a case of fish processing companies in Tanzania.
abstract: This study provides insight for food safety (FS) performance in light of the current performance of core FS management system (FSMS) activities and context riskiness of these systems to identify the opportunities for improvement of the FSMS. A FSMS diagnostic instrument was applied to assess the performance levels of FSMS activities regarding context riskiness and FS performance in 14 fish processing companies in Tanzania. Two clusters (cluster I and II) with average FSMS (level 2) operating under moderate-risk context (score 2) were identified. Overall, cluster I had better (score 3) FS performance than cluster II (score 2 to 3). However, a majority of the fish companies need further improvement of their FSMS and reduction of context riskiness to assure good FS performance. The FSMS activity levels could be improved through hygienic design of equipment and facilities, strict raw material control, proper follow-up of critical control point analysis, developing specific sanitation procedures and company-specific sampling design and measuring plans, independent validation of preventive measures, and establishing comprehensive documentation and record-keeping systems. The risk level of the context could be reduced through automation of production processes (such as filleting, packaging, and sanitation) to restrict people's interference, recruitment of permanent high-skilled technological staff, and setting requirements on product use (storage and distribution conditions) on customers. However, such intervention measures for improvement could be taken in phases, starting with less expensive ones (such as sanitation procedures) that can be implemented in the short term to more expensive interventions (setting up assurance activities) to be adopted in the long term. These measures are essential for fish processing companies to move toward FSMS that are more effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent; Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania. kussaga15@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jamal B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kussaga
authors.affiliation: Food Quality and Design, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Axis Building 118, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pieternel A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Luning
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Bendantunguka P M
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Tiisekwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Laboratory of Food Preservation and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Coupure Links, 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jacxsens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D059022:Food Safety; D005525:Food-Processing Industry / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017751:Safety Management; D012499:Sanitation / Q000592:standards; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D013636:Tanzania