Food Safety Behaviors Research Articles

Research on Social Co-governance Innovation Model of Food Safety--Based on CAS theory

In the information asymmetry environment, food safety is a major focus of social livelihood, because consumers can not get the information of food production and circulation. Based on the CAS theory, this paper establishes a government-enterprise co-creation model of food safety, which takes the government and the food safety behavior of food enterprises as the main body, and it is found that the pertinence of government policies and the exemplary role of leading enterprises are the core of co-creation of food safety.

The Oft Forgotten Part of Nutrition: Lessons from an Integrated Approach to Understand Consumer Food Safety Behaviors

Abstract Objectives A multi-year, integrated methods study showed comprehensive consumer food handling practices when preparing a meal, compared to prevalence of self-reported behaviors. Experimental conditions provided insights on the effectiveness of current and future food safety messages. Methods Demographically-diverse participants were recruited from various communities in one state. Year 1: Participants prepared raw turkey burgers in a simulated home kitchen. Half of participants viewed an educational video on thermometer use before meal preparation; the other half served as a control. Year 2: Participants who self-reported washing poultry prepared raw chicken products. Half of participants received mock social media messages about not washing poultry; the other half served as a control. Food handling behaviors were coded and compared to self-reported actions and attitudes towards food safety, collected via written surveys and in-depth interviews. Results At least one contributing factor to foodborne illness was examined during each observation; cross-contamination actions were always observed. Year 1: Over 60% (n = 383) of participants self-reported owning and using a food thermometer when cooking raw meat and poultry products; however, only 35% of unprompted participants measured final internal temperature with a food thermometer. Year 2: Nearly 25% (n = 300) of participants cross-contaminated a ready-to-eat side; over 50% cross-contaminated due to poor sink sanitation. Differences between self-reported and observed food safety behaviors were seen across participant groups. Lack of sufficient handwashing leading to bacterial cross-contamination was a notable secondary outcome. Conclusions Observations more accurately reflect consumer food handling behaviors and allow for targeted message development to decrease risk of foodborne illness through safe at-home food handling. Findings and messages are shared with health educators, news and social media outlets, and directly to consumers through various resources. Funding Sources This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). All views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily of USDA FSIS. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

A Preliminary Comparison of High School Nutrition Curricula Used in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program

Abstract Objectives To determine which curricula are being used with high schoolers participating in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and their impacts. Methods EFNEP Coordinators from each program were asked if their program targeted high schoolers, and if so, which curricula they were using. Fiscal year 2018 EFNEP national high school survey data were then aggregated by program from those that exclusively used 1 of the 3 most popular curricula and analyzed using SAS 9.4. Results Of the 63 EFNEP programs (N = 75) that responded, 29 programs (46%) did not, or rarely, worked with high schoolers. Of those that did work with these teens (n = 34), 19 (56%) reported exclusively using 1 of 3 curricula: Eating Smart • Being Active (ESBA, n = 8); Families Eating Smart, Moving More (FESMM, n = 3); or Teen Cuisine (TC, n = 8). Notably, 2 of these curricula (ESBA and FESMM) were created for use with adults. Evaluation data was analyzed for 2098 participants in 9th-12th grade (ESBA n = 1232, FESMM n = 236, and TC n = 630). Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests showed significant improvements in 13 nutrition, physical activity, and food safety behaviors for ESBA and TC pre-to-posttest, and improvements in 7 of those behaviors for FESMM (all P < 0.05). Chi-square analysis revealed that ESBA participants were more likely than FESMM participants to increase fruit (P < 0.01), vegetable (P < 0.001), and low-fat milk (P < 0.01) consumption, decrease sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption (P < 0.001) and screen time (P < 0.01), and make healthier choices at restaurants (P < 0.01), while TC participants were more likely than FESMM participants to increase vegetable consumption (P < 0.001), decrease SSB consumption (P < 0.01) and screen time (P < 0.001), and make healthier choices at restaurants (P < 0.01). When comparing ESBA and TC, ESBA was more likely to have participants decrease screen time (P = 0.03), with no other significant differences. Conclusions There is a dearth of evidence-based high school nutrition education curricula for use with low-income teens. TC and ESBA both show promise for this purpose; however, since these curricula require 1 + hours for implementation, additional curricula that can be used with shorter classes may need to be developed and evaluated. Also, additional testing is needed using more robust evaluation tools. Funding Sources None.

Situated food safety behavior

Previous studies indicate that many consumers eat rare hamburgers and that information about microbiological hazards related to undercooked meat does not necessarily lead to changed behavior. With this study we aim to investigate whether consumers’ willingness to eat hamburgers, both risky and safe, depends on the situation where they are confronted with the food.A representative sample of 1046 Norwegian consumers participated in a web experiment. Participants were randomly divided into four groups. Each group was told to imagine a specific eating situation (at their friend's place, at home, at a restaurant abroad, at a domestic restaurant). Four pictures of hamburgers (rare, medium rare, medium, well-done) were presented in randomized order, and participants rated their intentions to eat each hamburger. Situated risk perception was measured as the stated likelihood of food poisoning from consuming hamburgers in eight different situations.The results show that both risk perception and risk taking vary depending on the situation. In general, participants perceive their own home to be the safest place to consume a hamburger, but they are significantly more likely to consume an undercooked hamburger when at a friend's place. These findings indicate that situations play an important role for consumers' likelihood of eating unsafe food, and that risk taking does not always follow risk perception. That risk taking is elevated in situations that may have social consequences should be taken into consideration when developing food safety strategies.

Modeling of food safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior characteristics

In 2016-2017, foodborne outbreaks in Indonesia were mostly due to foods from households and street food vendors, indicating that people do not understand and apply food safety practices properly. In 2015, the government of Indonesia initiated a community-based food safety empowerment program to increase food safety knowledge, attitude and behavior of selected communities. Knowledge, attitude, and behavior are variables which can appropriately be analyzed by multivariate analysis. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and relationships of food safety knowledge, attitude and behavior in the intervened communities using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The study used purposive method to establish the respondents and developed a questionnaire to collect the responses. A total of 254 respondents were obtained from 9 urban areas in DKI Jakarta Province. Analysis using PLS-SEM concluded one statement for knowledge, three statements for attitude, and six statements for behavior as the statement characteristics for food safety. Results of this study suggest that knowledge affects food safety attitude and behavior significantly, but attitude does not influence behavior significantly. These results indicated the need to improve food safety knowledge in order to improve food safety attitude and behavior of the communities. However, it is important to realize that the transformation of attitude into behavior requires other factors such as environmental support and ease of the application of the principle of food safety.

Prediction of Food Safety Behaviors Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in Iranian Women

Prediction of Food Safety Behaviors Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in Iranian Women

Leading by example: A three-wave sequential mixed method food safety study

Abstract Foodservice employees that fail to adhere to food safety practices may directly introduce pathogens that can cause illness and death. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore managerial practices that influence employee’s food safety behaviors, using a two-phase sequential mixed-method approach. A total of 642 foodservice employees currently working in the United States participated in a survey about food safety knowledge and food safety behavioral intentions. Among these, 263 were invited to answer a set of open-ended qualitative questions, 36 participants responded to the questions, and two participants were selected for in-depth interviews. The majority of the employees are optimistic about their daily food safety practices. However, cross-analyses noted that the majority of employees failed the quiz regarding basic food safety knowledge. Further analyses documented that time-constraint and lack of managerial role modeling in daily food safety practices can post a considerable threat to maintaining food safety behaviors.

Food safety knowledge, sources thereof and self-reported behaviour among university students in Sweden

International studies have noted shortcomings in food safety knowledge and behaviour among university students. In general students do not constitute a pronounced risk group but there are wider implications. In a foreseeable future some of them will become pregnant and a majority will be responsible for vulnerable groups in their near environment. A crucial question exists, therefore, about their food safety knowledge and safe food handling practices.The aim of this study is to investigate food safety knowledge, sources thereof and self-reported food safety behavior among university students in Sweden.A quantitative study design using a web-based questionnaire was chosen as the data collection method. The questionnaire was distributed through social media and e-mail.Among the 606 respondents from 24 Swedish universities 80% were 18-30 years and 78% were women. The average number of correct answers on the knowledge questions was 7.61 out of 12 (63.4%). The foremost source of food safety knowledge was "Family and friends" (45%). Just 21.1% reported Food safety education as a source, although 35.6% had experience of a course in food hygiene/safety and/or microbiology. Respondents who reported "Family and friends" to be the foremost food safety source of knowledge also got a significantly lower rate of correct answers. Students who estimated their food safety knowledge to be good also had more correct answers. Experience of food safety education at secondary school/university/working place/polytechnic school significantly correlated with more correct answers on the knowledge questions and indicated a safer self-reported behaviour. Those with fewer correct answers also reported more unfavourable behaviours. The present study indicates that education promotes more optimal behaviors. The authors would suggest a more systematic food safety education at younger ages.

Netizens' Food Safety Knowledge, Attitude, Behaviors, and Demand for Science Popularization by WeMedia.

This study aimed to investigate netizens’ food safety knowledge, attitudes and behavior, status, and their demand for science popularization by WeMedia. Firstly, participants were recruited by WeMedia, including WeChat, Microblog, and QQ. Then, a web-based survey was conducted using a self-designed questionnaire, which comprised 29 items about the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) status of netizens’ food safety and the demand for science popularization by WeMedia. A correct answer on knowledge-related items was assigned a value of 1 point, and the high, medium, and low levels of knowledge had a total of 6–8, 3–5, and 0–2 points, respectively. A correct answer on attitude-related items was given a value of 1 to 5 points, and the high, medium, and low levels of attitude had a total of 16–20, 8–16, and l4–8 points, respectively. A correct answer on practice-related items was given a value of 5 to 1 point, and the high, medium, and low levels of attitude had a total of 22–30, 14–22, and 6–14 points, respectively. Results showed that the distribution of the different levels of the KAP scores were as follows: high (79.0%), medium (20.2%), low (0.8%); high (65.6%), medium (34.1%), low (0.3%); high (70.1%), medium (29.4%), low (0.5%). Approximately 86% of the subjects desired to obtain food safety knowledge from WeMedia. In conclusion, the netizens’ KAP in food safety are relatively optimistic. A large demand for science popularization on food safety knowledge by WeMedia is warranted. The WeMedia has a potentially important role in science popularization and health promotion related to food safety and health behaviors.

Health communication effects on food safety behaviors: A regression analysis of the determinants of food safety behaviors in health communication for life rural program districts

We investigate the relationship between the adoption of practices shown to reduce the risk of aflatoxin consumption and several hypothesized protective factors—including exposure to social and behavior change communication and beliefs about the danger and severity of consumption of potentially contaminated foodstuffs. The study utilizes cross-sectional survey data collected from rural heads of households in Malawi as baseline data for a U.S. Agency for International Development-funded social and behavior change communication project, Health Communication for Life. We hypothesized that four groups of factors would be associated with the use of practices shown to reduce the risk of aflatoxin contamination and consumption—demographic factors, geographic location, exposure to health communication about food safety and risks of aflatoxin contamination, and beliefs. The exposure model and belief model found higher scores to be associated with adopting positive food safety behaviors and in the hypothesized directions. This indicates that exposing people to information about food safety increases their reported food safety behaviors across production, storage, and purchasing activities. The effects of exposure to food safety messages and beliefs about food safety persisted in our trimmed model, net of the effects of education. This finding indicates that communication channels and exposure to social and behavior change messaging are an effective means of influencing food safety behaviors especially in environments where educational levels are low. Our findings may well extend to contexts beyond our study area into other rural, agriculturally dependent, and low-education environments in southern Africa.

Using the RE-AIM framework to evaluate safe food village development programme through the food safety movement in village in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Unsafe food is a major threat to public health both globally and in the Southeast Asia region. In Indonesia, various food safety problems are still encountered such as cases of food poisoning, food containing hazardous materials and poor food handlers’ sanitation hygiene. One of The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (NADFC)’s efforts to overcome food safety issues in Indonesia is the development of safe food villages with village community-based food safety interventions through the Food Safety Movement in Village (Gerakan Keamanan Pangan Desa/GKPD). The study used RE-AIM framework with a case study design. The study sites were Pandowoharjo Village, Sendangsari Village and Mangunan Village, the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Informants were selected purposively as many as 73 people. Data were collected through six FGDs, 16 interviews face to face and using telephone, observation and document review. The analytical approach used was qualitative content analysis with Opencode software version 3.6.2.0. The results of the study showed that the GKPD program involved community policy makers (village officials), the formation of food safety cadres from various community groups (family health empowerment organization, youth organizations, teachers) and the fostering of various food provider communities in the village (housewives, home-industries, food retailers, school canteen, and street food vendors), as well as the involvement of public health centre, but in its implementation there were obstacles to the adoption of food safety practices by the food vendors community which caused the program to not be fully effective in changing food safety behaviour due to economic and human resources factors.

Food Safety Challenges and Barriers in Southern United States Farmers Markets.

Purchasing fresh and local produce at farmers markets has seen an increasing trend over the past decade. However, with this rise in popularity food safety challenges need to be recognized and addressed. Farmers market managers play a significant role in ensuring that vendors implement food safety practices at the market. Thus, this study investigated the food safety perceptions of farmers markets managers and vendors in Texas and Arkansas. A total of 123 participants were surveyed, including 38 managers and 85 vendors. The survey included a series of questions to determine gaps in vendor and manager food safety knowledge as well as the barriers and factors that prevent the implementation of relevant food safety practices. The results indicate that a lack of facilities, equipment, and resources containing food safety guidelines specific to farmers markets were the major barriers to the implementation of food safety practices. In addition, only 36.7% of participants had formal food safety training (e.g., ServSafe) and approximately 50% of the market managers provided food safety materials to their vendors. Overall, these data suggest that the development of farmers market-specific training programs to enhance food safety behaviors and practices in farmers markets would be beneficial to stakeholders.

Real-life food-safety behavior and incidence of foodborne infections in solid organ transplant recipients.

Food-safety measures are recommended in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. However, the actual adherence of patients in a real-life setting and the impact on the incidence of foodborne infections remain largely unexplored. We performed a survey among SOT recipients followed at our institution, aiming to evaluate their food-safety behavior. We assessed the incidence of microbiologically proven foodborne infections by chart review. One hundred ninety-seven SOT recipients (kidney=117, lung=35, liver=29, and heart=16) participated in the survey. Overall, 17.7% of the participants observed all food-safety recommendations (22.0% avoided food at risk of contamination while 67.9% applied hygiene recommendations). Patients within the first year after transplantation (odds ratio [OR] 5.42; P=.001) and females (OR 4.67; P=.001) followed food-safety recommendations more closely. Although the majority of SOT recipients felt concerned and actively sought information on food safety (68%-70%), only 27% were able to recognize all risks of foodborne infection in hypothetical scenarios. Incidence of proven foodborne infections was 17.9% (95% confidence interval 9.9%-30.9%) 5years after transplantation. Importantly, foodborne infections occurred exclusively among patients not following food-safety recommendations. In summary, most SOT recipients eat foods that make them at risk of foodborne infections. Our results indicate that there is room for improvement in patient education, particularly later after transplantation, and reinforcecurrent food-safety recommendations.

Observed Food Safety and Sanitation Behavior for Chinese Culinary Cooking.

The purpose of this study is to develop a Chinese culinary food safety and sanitation behavior scale that can be used in industry auditing, inspection, and training, as well as in school education. This study first observed food safety and sanitation behaviors in the order of cleaning, cutting, and cooking procedures according to the standards of Chinese culinary cooking. According to the observation results, for the cleaning component, alcohol disinfection after cleaning utensils and hands, the utensil cleaning sequence, the placing of cutting boards, the cleanliness of articles and water tanks, and other cross-contamination actions, as well as the complete removal of gills and scales of fish in fish handling, received lower scores. In terms of cutting, cutting sequences for various ingredients, the three-stage egg knocking sequence, the cleaning actions after each action, and the action of cleaning the knife and cutting board again were not performed properly. In the cooking step, the cross-contamination of cutting raw and cooked food, the placing of finished products, plate decorations, and the cross-contamination of not wearing gloves when contacting cooked food and tasting the food were still major problems. Finally, the cleanliness of the working area still needs improvement in all processing.

Observational assessment of food safety behaviours at farmers’ markets in Ontario, Canada: A cross-sectional study

Farmers' markets are increasingly popular food venues in Canada. However, they have unique food safety challenges due to their operational characteristics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the food safety behaviours of farmers' market vendors in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada, to identify possible food safety risks and areas for future education and training. The food safety behaviours of vendors selling time-temperature control for safety (TCS) foods were observed throughout 2018 at 60 markets. Observations were conducted discretely and recorded on a standardized form via a smartphone. Data were descriptively analysed, and two selected outcomes were evaluated in multivariable logistic regression models. Prepared foods (50%) were the most commonly sold type of TCS food product among all observed vendors (n = 454). While general cleanliness and sanitation was very high, 27% of vendors did not provide cross-contamination protection methods for at least some of their TCS foods. Similarly, 66% and 48% of vendors who sold foods requiring cold and hot holding (n = 410 and 162, respectively) did not provide temperature control for at least some of their foods. Cold-holding temperature control was more commonly observed among vendors selling raw meat, poultry, and fish, and less commonly observed among those selling ready-to-eat meats; fresh-cut leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, and melons; and cheese and dairy products. A mean of 4.55 (SD = 2.62) behaviours requiring handwashing was observed per vendor across 1356 customer transactions, but only 2.9% of vendors attempted handwashing. Most vendors handled food with their bare hands on at least one occasion (79%); this behaviour was more commonly observed at weekend markets and among vendors engaged in multiple roles, and less commonly observed among vendors selling prepared foods. The study results have identified targeted areas for future food safety education and training with farmers’ markets vendors in Ontario.

Food safety behavior and handling practices during purchase, preparation, storage and consumption of chicken meat and eggs.

The aim of this study was to assess the risk of occurrence of a foodborne outbreak and point practices determinant to achieve high Good Hygienic Practice level during handling practice from purchase to consumption of chicken meat and eggs. The risk behavior of respondents and the risk of the occurrence of a foodborne outbreak were measured using Weighted Harmonic Outbreak Prevention Index (WHOPI). WHOPI were not correlated to socioeconomic data and perception of risks. Different profiles of handling practices were identified inside each WHOPI level. Chicken meat defrost, time and temperature of egg cooking and the point of yolk were identified as the most important procedures responsible for the WHOPI level upgrades. The consumption of chicken meat and eggs were characterized as discrete distributions. The average consumption of chicken meat was 113.48 g/per day and eggs daily intake distribution was 0.92 units/day. Our results can be applied for future microbiological food safety risk assessments related to the consumption of chicken meat and eggs.

Factors affecting safe and healthy diet in older adults in Italy: results of a preliminary study performed in a community-dwelling sample.

To investigate, through a questionnaire, older adults' demographic and socio-economic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and practices in terms of food safety and healthy diet; and to develop dietary and hygiene indices able to represent participants' nutritional and food safety behaviour, exploring their association with demographic and socio-economic factors. One-year cross-sectional study. Gemelli Teaching Hospital (Rome, Italy). People aged ≥65 years, Italian speaking, accessing the Centre of Ageing Medicine. Mean age of the sample was 74 (sd7·7) years. Subjective perception of a safe diet was high: 64·2 % of respondents believed they have a balanced diet. Interviewees got informed about proper nutrition mainly from television, magazines, newspapers, Internet (29·9 %) and from health professionals (34·8 %) such as dietitians, whereas 15·4 % from general practitioners. Regarding food safety, 33·8 % of participants reported to consume expired food, even more than once per month; between 80 and 90 % of participants reported to follow food safety practices during preparation and cooking, even though 49·3 % defrosted food at room temperature. Calculated dietary and hygiene indices showed that the elderly participants were far from having optimal nutritional and food safety behaviours. These results suggest it is necessary to increase the awareness of older adults in the matter of healthy diet and food safety. Specific and targeted educational interventions for the elderly and their caregivers could improve the adoption of recommended food safety practices and safe nutritional behaviours among older adults.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of street food vendors and consumers in Handan, a third tier city in China

BackgroundFood safety has long been the subject of scholarly research, and street food is a weak link in food safety supervision. Street food not only provides convenience for many people, but is also the livelihood for millions of low income people, making a great contribution to the economy of many developing countries.MethodsStreet food safety is essential, and yet it has been rarely studied in China. Therefore, a typical city in China was selected as the research object to assess food safety knowledge, attitudes, and street food suppliers and consumer behaviors using questionnaires based on previous studies, and considering China’s particular characteristics and reasonable impacts identified in previous studies, such as increased income, work experience, licenses, and locations. The food safety knowledge and attitude questionnaire conformed with the national conditions in China. It was used to assess the food safety knowledge and attitudes toward food suppliers and consumers, where three main areas were addressed in the surveys and statistical analysis, as follows. (1) Statistical information including gender, age, education, income, food safety training, and specific elements related to the work experience of suppliers. (2) Knowledge of food safety including the awareness of consumers and suppliers regarding food poisoning pathogens, food and personal hygiene, high-risk groups, and correct cleaning. (3) A list of food handling behaviors was used to determine the behaviors and characteristics of subjects.ResultsThe results show that street food suppliers have generally poor food handling practices, and most are operating under unsanitary conditions. Food safety knowledge of street vendors in the High-tech Industries Development Zone was the lowest, most likely because these regions are located in rural-urban fringe zones, where education levels are generally relatively low. Food safety attitudes of the youngest consumers were significantly better than those of older age groups. Their educational level was also different, with correspondingly relatively high income for younger individuals. Most vendors chose locations near schools or supermarkets. Consumers and street food vendors had good understanding of food safety, but street vendors were relatively poor in carrying out safe food handling, with only 26.7% using or being fully equipped withhand-washing facilities, although more than 60% of vendors wore clean and tidy clothes and masks.ConclusionsStreet food vendor training should be prioritized to improve the safety of street food. Other policies and measures should also be propagated to improve the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of vendors in Handan. Steps should be taken to improve street food stall operating conditions and facilities, including providing clean protected structures, access to potable water, and efficient waste collection and disposal systems. These findings should encourage government agencies to further promote strategies to improve street food safety.

Assessment of Food Safety Knowledge and Behaviors of Cancer Patients Receiving Treatment.

Cancer patients receiving treatment are at a higher risk for the acquisition of foodborne illness than the general population. Despite this, few studies have assessed the food safety behaviors, attitudes, risk perceptions, and food acquisition behaviors of this population. Further, no studies have, yet, quantified the food safety knowledge of these patients. This study aims to fill these gaps in the literature by administering a thorough questionnaire to cancer patients seeking treatment in three hospitals in a Midwest, metropolitan area. Demographic, treatment, food security, and food safety knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, risk perceptions, and acquisition information was assessed for 288 patients. Specific unsafe attitudes, behaviors, and acquisition practices were identified. Most notable is that 49.4% (n = 139) of participants were not aware that they were at increased risk of foodborne infection, due to their disease and treatment. Additionally, though patients exhibited a general understanding of food safety, the participant average for correctly answering the food safety questions was 74.77% ± 12.24%. The section concerning food storage showed lowest participant knowledge, with an average score of 69.53% ± 17.47%. Finally, patients reporting low food security also reported a higher incidence of unsafe food acquisition practices (P < 0.05). These findings will help healthcare providers to better educate patients in the food safety practices necessary to decrease risk of foodborne infection, and to provide targeted food safety education to low-food-security patients.

Prevailing food safety culture in companies operating in a transition economy - Does product riskiness matter?

Food safety outbreaks are recurrent events, which regularly cost human lives. Food safety goes beyond food safety management systems; an organisation's prevailing food safety culture, and its internal and external environment must also be considered. This study introduces a research framework to analyse crucial food safety culture elements, and characteristics of the internal (i.e. food safety program, product riskiness, and vulnerability of food production system) and the external company environment (i.e. national values and food safety governance characteristics). We hypothesised that companies producing high-risk products are more likely to demonstrate a proactive food safety culture. We used the framework to assess nine companies producing low, medium, and high-risk products in Zimbabwe, as a case of a transition economy. Results showed no direct relationship between product riskiness and food safety culture, which negated our hypothesis. Other variables explored in this study could have moderated the relationship. We found that the vulnerability (i.e. susceptibility to microbial contamination) of the food production system could be associated with an organisation's food safety culture. Moreover, the external environment could have shaped the prevailing food safety culture. In particular, food safety governance and national values seem to be reflected in the way food safety was prioritised, food safety programs were designed and implemented, the prevailing food safety culture, and the observed food safety behaviour. Further research could investigate the role of the external environment in an organisation's food safety culture by evaluating companies in countries operating with different food safety governance approaches and national values.