Abstract
Safety of food in the fresh market has been a critical issue for many countries, including Thailand. In this study, data related to the criteria pertaining to food safety in selected fresh markets in Thailand are collected and analyzed using selective analytical methods to understand the perspectives of stakeholders in food safety system. In particular, our study considered 2 methodologies in the analysis-1) Mixed Method Research based on questionnaires and interviews with an aim to analyze stakeholders’ behaviours and 2) Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), one of the Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) tools, with an aim to analyze criteria weights for food safety. Our case study was conducted at two fresh markets in Ubonratchathani province in Thailand: Municipal Market and Donklang Market, by collecting samples of vendors and consumers. It was found that vendors considered rental arrangement as the most important factor with weight 0.5489 (54.8 percent), whereas consumers concerned with the market building and related environment the most with criterion’s weight 0.2480 (24.80 percent). This initial result can be used for further analysis of fresh market layout and design, subject to viewpoints of stakeholders.
Highlights
Introduction and MotivationFresh markets have been widely distributed in almost all every community in Thailand, in which consumers and merchants can come to buy and sell various products, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, meats, processed food as well as the ready-to-eat food
We initially collect data using questionnaire/ survey and an individual short interview for each sample, in which the questions are divided into 3 parts 1) General information, 2) Satisfaction score for factors related to the food safety and the fresh market, and 3) Open-ended questions related to suggestions for improving the market
The analyses of qualitative data using openended questions and interview showed a list of essential factors/criteria deemed important for the success and improvement plan of the fresh markets
Summary
Fresh markets have been widely distributed in almost all every community in Thailand, in which consumers and merchants can come to buy and sell various products, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, meats, processed food as well as the ready-to-eat food. The fresh market is the place, where many people gather together, including the supplier of raw materials or farmers (i.e., supplier), vendors that sell products (i.e., distributor), the carrier of raw materials (i.e., transporter) as well as customers. According to the national food safety policy analysis for Asian countries [2], food contaminated with chemicals, antibiotics, and pathogenic microorganisms, are the cause of deaths for more than 3 million people worldwide per year. Food poisoning of approximately 1.5 million people worldwide per year is an evident of increasing health problem in the Asian population living in the city. The International Food Standards Commission (CODEX Alimentarius Commission) has prepared a draft manual ‘principles and guidelines for national food control system’ in early 2013 and proposed to the member countries for developing their national food control system for the management and development of food safety in the country [2]
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