Food safety practices in milk collection centers in Turkey: a case study

Purpose - The aim of this study was to reveal the role and importance of the milk collection centers in Izmir in assuring food safety in the Turkish dairy sector. Design/methodology/approach - A five-point Likert scale was applied to collect data on the food safety practices and the problems confronted in MCCs. The difference between the groups in the managers' and MCCs' specifications and the food safety applications in the MCCs were determined by one-way ANOVA for continuous variables. For the continuous variables, a normal distribution test was applied by Jarque-Bera test. For variables displaying normal distribution, analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) was performed. For the variables not displaying normal distribution, Kruskall-Wallis test. In the evaluation of other data descriptive statistics were applied. Findings - Because the milk in the MCCs is generally obtained from small-scale family farms, it is not of the desired quality from a food safety and food quality perspective. The quality control analysis of raw milk cannot be carried out because of the lack of qualified specialists and equipment inadequacies. The most general test applied on milk delivery is based on the monitoring of the sensory properties of the milk. Research limitations/implications - All MCCs were covered in the sample size of the research and the questionnaires were applied to all 43 MCC managers in Izmir. Practical implications - An effective organizational and educational structure must be established to monitor food safety and related practices in MCCs. Originality/value - The paper adds to the body of knowledge on procecessors and their attitudes to food safety and suggests implementation of various practices which could improve results.