Conflicts, informality and risk perception about foodborne diseases in small family and non-family run restaurants

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to analyze the risk perception of foodborne disease, practices, and conflicts related to food safety based on the speech of food handlers and managers of small and medium-sized (SMS) family and non-family-run restaurants. Ten restaurants were evaluated through participant observation, where food handlers and managers participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using a qualitative approach of thematic content analysis. Several violations of food safety laws were observed, mainly in family-run restaurants, which exhibited a higher number of violations when compared to non-family run restaurants. Cognitive aspects, such as optimistic bias and low-risk perception, were identified in the speech of respondents from both types of restaurants. Informality and amateurism were observed in family-run restaurants; Some examples of this were transforming the work environment into the home environment, use of home leftovers in restaurants, conflicts between workers and family members, and lack of. Our results show that nepotism could lead to informality, reduce risk perceptions, and increase the risk of food safety violations. In family-run restaurants, the difficulty of following food safety regulations may be greater than in non-family SMS restaurants. It is suggested that managers and owners of family-run restaurants seek professional support regarding food safety. For policy-makers it is recommended a policy to encourage self-evaluation and special attention to this type of business.