Using qualitative psychology to investigate HACCP implementation barriers

Abstract

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a system of food safety management that in the last few decades has become an increasing part of national government and international strategy to reduce the prevalence of food borne disease. Yet despite wide dissemination and scientific support of its principles, successful HACCP implementation has been limited. There has been very little in-depth consideration of the reasons behind this, and qualitative psychological research examining the interplay of factors involved is almost non-existent. For this study therefore, four in-depth narrative interviews were carried out with small business owners attempting to implement HACCP. Non-prescriptive analysis of their interviews was carried out, and this revealed five key themes acting as 'barriers' to successful implementation. These were of HACCP as difficult, burdensome and unnecessary, and hindered by staff and external problems. The analysis showed furthermore the complexity of issues underpinning problems with HACCP implementation and the way in which they operate at knowledge, attitude and behavioural levels. From this, essential issues to be addressed in order for successful HACCP to be achieved are put forward.

Food safety knowledge and practices among food handlers in Slovenia

“…Many authors discuss about barriers or hindrances which have impact to the effective implementation of HACCP in SMEs (Azanza & ZamoraLuna, 2005; Bas ß, S ßafak, & Kıvanc ß, 2006; Henroid & Sneed, 2004;Hielm, Tuominen, Aarnisalo, Raaska, & Maijjala, 2006;Taylor & Taylor, 2004a;Taylor & Taylor, 2004b;Vela & Fernández, 2003;Walker, Pritchard, & Forsythe, 2003a). Among the key ones Walker et al (2003a) mentioned lack of expertise and perception of benefits, absence of legal requirements, various attitude barriers and financial constrains.…”

Attitudes towards own-checking and HACCP plans among Finnish food industry employees

“…On the other hand, the technical barriers seem a far more formidable hurdle to overcome, as these encompass all those practices, attitudes and perceptions that negatively affect the understanding and proper and effective implementation of the HACCP principles (Panisello & Quantick, 2001). Recent behavioral studies from the United Kingdom (Gilling et al, 2001;Taylor & Taylor, 2004), Italy (Angelillo, Viggiani, Greco, & Rito, 2001), the United States (Henroid & Sneed, 2004), Poland (Konecka-Matyjek, Turlejska, Pelzner, & Szponar, 2005, and the Philippines (Azanza & Zamora-Luna, 2005) asserts that such barriers are of a universal nature.…”

Learning HACCP in Philippine lingua franca

“…These industries perceive HACCP implementation as a burdensome activity with few perceived beneWts (Taylor & Kane, 2005;Taylor & Taylor, 2004). A similar scenario is evident in the Philippines, where almost 90% of food industries are classiWed to be within the micro to medium levels (DTI, 2004).…”