Interplay between food safety climate, food safety management system and microbiological hygiene in farm butcheries and affiliated butcher shops

• The food safety climate assessment tool was used in a case study in the meat distribution sector.
• Food safety climate was scored higher by affiliated butcher shops than by farm butcheries.
• Leadership and communication concerning hygiene and food safety is perceived to be better in affiliated butcher shops.
• Microbiological hygiene and safety was overall better in affiliated butcher shops.
• A good food safety climate is not sufficient to counteract a basic food safety management system.

Human behavior and decision-making of employees can be influenced by the food safety climate prevailing in an organization. Four farm based and four affiliated centrally managed butcheries were screened on their food safety climate and level of implemented food safety management system, by application of self-assessment questionnaires. Besides, by product and environmental microbiological sampling, objective data on hygiene status were collected. The food safety climate was scored significantly higher in the centrally managed butcher shops compared to the independent small scale farm butcheries, mainly for the components ‘leadership’ and ‘communication’ while ‘risk awareness’ and ‘commitment’ were equally evaluated. Food safety climate’ component ‘resources’ was perceived higher in the affiliated butchers shops, but not statistical significant. The study demonstrated that affiliated butcher shops are able to achieve a better microbiological hygiene and safety status, because both a well-elaborated food safety management system and a favorable food safety climate is present in the affiliates. While in the investigated farm butcheries, the overall lower hygiene and safety status is likely to be related to their lower food safety climate score in combination with a more basic food safety management system. This semi-quantitative case study revealed that employees' perception of a favorable food safety climate in combination with a fit-for-purpose food safety management system is likely to result in a good and stable microbiological output in food companies.