Exploring the Digitalisation of Food Safety Management Systems: A Delphi Study

Ensuring the integrity, efficacy, efficiency, and reliability of the food safety management system (FSMS) has become imperative for every food business operator (FBO) as part of the interconnected food supply chains, and is essential to overcoming global food challenges. The 4th industrial revolution process is creating new opportunities for FBOs, prompting a re-evaluation of the design, operation, and maintenance of FSMS. This article presents the findings of a Delphi study aimed to generate insights into the enablers, and technological and managerial constraints of the introduction of digitalisation in prerequisite programs (PRPs) and HACCP activities, the corner stones of FSMS. The panel consisted of experts from academia, industry, and consultancy to obtain a broad perspective. The experts suggested and agreed on multiple ways digitalisation can enable the design, operation, and maintenance of PRPs as well as HACCP-related activities. Regarding the managerial and technical/technological constraints, we observed a greater dispersion of agreement amongst the experts compared to the enablers. Typical managerial/organisational related challenges encompass financial impact, lack of motivation/resistance to change, need for specific digital competencies/training, and absence of a clear regulatory framework. Technical/technological constraints included aspects such as lack of system adaptability/flexibility and user-friendliness, data entry workload, and ensuring system reliability. The research contributes to a better understanding of the possible role of digitalisation in the design, operation and maintenance of PRP and HACCP-based FSMS. Future research could conduct case studies to assess FSMS digitalisation at the firm level, evaluating its actual benefits and the barriers encountered by FBOs.