Toward an Extended Food Safety Culture Model: Studying the Moderating Role of Burnout and Job Stress, the Mediating Role of Food Safety Knowledge, and Motivation in the Relation between Food Safety Climate and Food Safety Behavior

Introduction: Previous research demonstrated the influence of food safety climate on the food safety output of food companies on an organizational (company) level. At the individual level, the relation between food safety climate and employees’ food safety behavior still has to be unraveled. Therefore, the conceptual food safety culture model of DeBoek, Jacxsens, Bollaerts, and Vlerick (2015) was expanded by introducing food safety behavior, knowledge, motivation, burnout, and job stress of the individual employees in the organization.

Purpose: In the present study the relationship between food safety climate and food safety behavior was investigated. Food safety knowledge and motivation were proposed as mediators, explaining the relationship between climate and behavior. Additionally, job stress and burnout were proposed as moderators, influencing the strength of this relationship.

Methods: This conceptual model was tested through statistical analysis with data (n=85) collected from two Belgian vegetable processing companies through self-assessment surveys.

Results: A positive relationship between food safety climate and employees’ behavior was found. Mediation analysis showed that knowledge is a partial mediator between food safety climate and compliance, participation, and behavior, which means that knowledge cannot fully explain this relationship. Motivation is a partial mediator between food safety climate and compliance and behavior, only. The moderation effect between job stress and burnout was not confirmed. These results demonstrate the direct (without mediation) and indirect effect (through motivation and knowledge) of food safety climate on employees’ behavior and illustrated the key role of employees’ behavior and well-being for governing food safety in a company.

Significance: This study suggested that human factors might impact the implementation and follow-up of a food safety management system and recommended a more human behavioral approach for the food safety management in food companies.