Costs and Areas of Opportunity in the Implementation of Safety Policies in Agribusiness Companies

Abstract

In addition to organoleptic characteristics and packaging design, consumers expect that the processed food they eat will have the minimum sanitary conditions applied to them. That is to say, that what is consumed will not cause foodborne illnesses. This implies that production companies will have to invest in technology, training, and above all, implement food safety policies and procedures that prevent microbiological contamination of the products produced. All of this generates cost, and in many cases that is the key factor pushing many organizations to not carry out such activities. This then impedes the primary objective of agro-industrial companies: to offer healthy products. It also affects their commercial activities. Regulatory changes in US trade policies, especially in quality management and food safety, have begun to be implemented. It is therefore necessary to integrate programs such as Certification of Quality and Food Safety (SQF) or the Certification System in Food Security (CSFS 22000) to the base of the companies dedicated to the production of food. This represents an added value when talking about commercial growth, since the advantages offered by the implementation of these programs generate possibilities of having a presence in the international market.