Food Protection Trends - February 2010 - 80

TABLE 3. Profiles of meat establishments Food safety management system HACCP certified HACCP implemented HACCP implemented Working toward GMP certification No written system Inspection jurisdiction Ontario Ontario Canada Municipal Municipal Food safety Inspection Number of workers Number of workers in company 30–99 30–99 10–29 10–29 30–99 Number of workers in production 30–99 30–99 < 10 < 10 < 10 dustry associations (FGrp2) (Table 2). Focus groups with three to five participants are suitable when participants are very knowledgeable about or are experienced with the topic being discussed (6, 16). Businesses were selected purposively on the basis of the stage of FSMS implementation (from no written program to HACCP certified by a third-party audit), as well as inspection jurisdiction — municipal, provincial and federal. All establishments had fewer than 100 employees (Table 3). Although all businesses were known to be members of the industry association, the Ontario Independent Meat Processors, it was unknown at the time of selection that representatives of several plants were directly associated with the Board of Directors. pretested by a former meat plant lineemployee. The pretesting resulted in minor wording changes and a reordering of some questions. Plant personnel selection was purposive. The researchers requested interviews with owners/senior managers, food safety/quality assurance coordinators or managers, and food safety or production personnel responsible for monitoring and recording FSMS information. Individuals were selected by plant management. In one plant, the senior manager/ owner was responsible for food safety and worked directly in production; he indicated that he could provide the information and declined the request for employees to participate. implementation of food safety management systems on the plant floor? The questions allowed a focus on any aspects that were considered relevant. Accompanying the first question was a probing question to clarify participants’ ideas about indicators of success. Accompanying the second were probing questions related to production systems, as well as organization and employee characteristics. The probes were used as needed to ensure that discussion covered the categories described by van der Wende (24). The focus group guide was reviewed by a qualitative specialist and revised slightly prior to use. Data analysis The audio-recorded interviews generated 219 pages of single-spaced verbatim transcripts. In-depth interviews accounted for 189 pages of transcripts, while focus group interviews provided 30 pages. Repetitions, filler words and hesitations were eliminated from the transcriptions, as they did not add value to the context. The transcripts were verified by a second party. Contradictions within plants were noted immediately following in-depth interviews. A content analysis of the transcribed data was conducted with NVivo 7 software to identify patterns and themes. The researchers read and reflected on the content of the transcripts. Words and phrases in the transcripts were highlighted and coded under different headings, or “themes.” Because the data were collected using questions specific to production systems, employees and the organization, three themes for content analysis were pre-determined. However, new pat- Focus group interviews Focus groups are useful in a number of ways, from stimulating new ideas and creative concepts to generating feedback on specific products, programs, services, and institutions through specific discussions (22). For this study, focus group interviews followed in-depth interviews with the intention of further confirming and clarifying themes identified through the in-depth interviews. Focus group interviews, each lasting about one hour, were held in industry and government agency boardrooms. A focus group guide provided the framework for discussion (5, 9). The guide had two questions: What do you believe are indicators of success in companies that have been successful at implementing some kind of food safety management system? and What do you believe are the main factors that affect, positively or negatively, the In-depth interviews In-depth interviews allow the exploration of a topic with respondents (17). Using a semi-structured format, interviews of 30 to 60 minutes duration were held at the plants. An interview guide containing a series of open-ended questions for three personnel types was developed to cover themes related to production systems, organization characteristics and employee characteristics, as suggested by van der Wende (24). The interview questions for the senior managers/owners (SrMgrs/Owners) and food safety coordinators (FSCs) were pretested by a manager/former food safety coordinator of a meat plant as well as by two food safety specialists with the Ontario government. The interview questions for production employees were 80 FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS | FEBRUARY 2010

Food Protection Trends - February 2010

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