Measurement of food safety culture using survey and maturity profiling tools

• Theory of organizational culture was applied to measure food safety culture characteristics.
• Food safety culture was measured using a self-assessment survey with pinpointed food safety behaviours.
• A maturity model was developed to measure food safety culture in food manufacturing.
• The tool was tested with a Canadian food manufacturer resulting in a measure of the organization's food safety culture across six capability areas.

Organizational culture is defined by dimensions and characteristics that can be used to measure food safety culture in food manufacturing through a food safety maturity model. Maturity models from quality, health care, and information technology have been used since early 1970 and this work presents a novel food safety culture maturity model with five capability areas and food safety pinpointed behaviours specific to functions and levels in a food manufacturing company. A survey tool linked to the model is used to measure a company's position within the maturity model framework. The method was tested with a Canadian food manufacturer and proved valuable to measure food safety culture across the five capability areas, which provides the manufacturer with a map for prioritizing future efforts to strengthen food safety culture.