Context factors affecting design and operation of food safety management systems in the fresh produce chain

• Food safety management systems (FSMS) in fresh produce operate in complex contexts.
• The output is dependent not only on the systems, but also on the context.
• Development and validation of a tool to assess FSMS context in fresh produce chains.
• The tool enables taking measures in the FSMS or reducing the context risk.

Recent food-borne outbreaks and cases of non-compliances to maximum residue limits of pesticides, indicated that food safety management systems (FSMS) in fresh produce chain are not yet performing in a satisfactory manner. However, the system output is not only dependent on the system design and operation but also on the context wherein it operates. The major context factors that create risk to decision-making in FSMS in the fresh produce chain have been defined in this study, and a tool was developed for their systematic analysis. The tool supports a differentiated assessment of context riskiness, enabling actors in fresh produce chains to take measures in their FSMS or reduce riskiness in the context. The tool can be used at primary production, processing, and trade, and can thus provide insights in the changes of context riskiness over the supply chain. It enables systematic analysis of the context in a product group, sector, or country.