Understanding Barriers to Compliance to Food Safety Standards in the Catering Establishments Using a Qualitative Research Method: Focus Group Discussion

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Background: Now a days trend of eating out has increased so also the responsibility of catering establishments to serve safe and wholesome food to its consumers. In India food safety is currently considered to be an important issue for all the stakeholders in the area of food production. This study was conducted to understand food handlers perceptions, opinions, beliefs to compliance to food safety standards in the catering establishments in Delhi. Methods: Nine focus group sessions were conducted with catering establishments owners ,administrators and food handlers ,from March to September 2017. One FGD was conducted in each District of Delhi , India ,with 6 to 8 participants in each group to identify their barriers, opinions and belief systems to compliances to food safety operations in the catering establishments. Focus group were conducted using a questionnaire having check points for discussions with participants which included questions related to personal hygiene and their understanding to FSSAI norms and facilities. Hygiene game (word hunt game) was also developed and was played with participants to build rapport before focus group sessions. Results: A total of 64 food handlers including catering establishments owners and administrators participated in focus group discussions . Affinity diagram had been used to compile data and six themes emerged out of interactive sessions which reflected the participant’s perception, barriers, opinions and belief systems to compliance to food safety norms and standards in the catering establishments. Though the participants realized the importance of implementing food safety standard principles but being busy with their daily routine jobs ,they had never tried to gather relevant information .They had also addressed other major barriers like attachment with their old deep rooted practices and pressure of delivering orders on time, less space and poor infrastructure facilities. Conclusions: The perceived barriers gathered from these focus groups sessions can provide a base to sensitize the catering establishment administrators/owners and workers towards the specific food safety needs.