Food Control 53 (2015) 134e139

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Food Control
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodcont

HACCP effectiveness between ISO 22000 certied and non-certied

dairy companies
Evangelos L. Psomas 1, Dimitrios P. Kafetzopoulos*
Department of Business Administration of Food and Agricultural Enterprises, University of Patras, 2 George Seferis str., GR-301 00, Agrinio, Greece

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The purpose of the study is to determine the differences between the ISO 22000 certied and non-
Received 16 July 2014 certied dairy companies with regard to the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) Food
Received in revised form Safety System (FSS) effectiveness. The HACCP FSS effectiveness is dened in the present study as the
27 December 2014
degree of the achievement of the system objectives (identication, assessment and the control of food
Accepted 3 January 2015
borne safety hazards). A research study was carried out in 74 Greek dairy companies using a structured
Available online 29 January 2015
questionnaire. The differences between the ISO 22000 certied and non-certied dairy companies (both
implementing HACCP principles) with regard to HACCP effectiveness are determined through non
Keywords:
HACCP
parametric tests such as the Chi-square Test and the ManneWhitney Test. The vast majority of the
FSS effectiveness participating in the present study dairy companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The
ISO 22000 ISO 22000 certied dairy companies signicantly outperform the non-certied with regard to the HACCP
Dairy SMEs FSS effectiveness, in other words to the degree to which the objectives of HACCP are achieved. Thus,
managers of dairy SMEs taking advantage of the structured organization and the documented procedures
provided by the ISO 22000 standard can increase the level of achieving the objectives of the HACCP FSS,
in other words HACCP effectiveness. In doing so, dairy SMEs can set the foundations in order to optimize
the conditions under which safe food is provided, minimize the possibility of food non-conformities and
scandals, increase market share and consequently withstand the current downturn.
2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction In order that a food company is able to conform to food safety

Nowadays, changes in consumer eating habits and in the global
food market are often recorded (Bilalis, Stathis, Konstantas, &
Patsiali, 2009). Furthermore, consumers, due to the frequency of
many food scandals (Bilalis et al., 2009), are highly concerned about
food safety (Gaaloul, Riabi, & Ghorbel, 2011). The emerging need for
higher food safety has led to stricter specications and re-
quirements regarding food safety and the management of food
safety hazards. These specications and requirements are set either
by customers or legislation or the food company itself. These cir-
cumstances have been taken into consideration by the food in-
dustry and as a result food safety plays the most important role not
only in food production, but in any stage of the food supply chain
(supply-processing-distribution) (Bilalis et al., 2009).
* Corresponding author. Tel.: 30 26410 74123; fax: 30 26410 74168.
E-mail addresses: epsomas@cc.uoi.gr (E.L. Psomas), dimkafe@yahoo.gr
(D.P. Kafetzopoulos).
1
Tel.: 30 26410 74123; fax: 30 26410 74168.
specications and requirements, food safety systems (FSS) have
been created and launched worldwide (Botonaki, Polymeros,
Tsakiridou, & Mattas, 2006). More specically, in the food in-
dustry, FSS that are based on the HACCP principles (Hazard Analysis
of Critical Control Points) or on the more recently launched ISO
22000 standard (Motarjemi & Mortimore, 2005; Nguyen, Wilcock,
& Aung, 2004); are applied to ensure food safety, to prevent liability
claims and to build and maintain the trust of consumers
(Kafetzopoulos, Gotzamani, & Fotopoulos, 2013a). The HACCP
approach is the basic element of the ISO 22000 standard (ISO
22000, 2005). Arouma (2006) also states that HACCP re-
quirements are an intrinsic part of ISO 22000. It is worth noting that
a food company can either simply implement the principles of
HACCP, without holding any certication, or implement HACCP and
simultaneously be ISO 22000 certied.
Arvanitoyannis and Mavropoulos (2000) point out that the
implementation of systems aiming to ensure safety (e.g. HACCP) in
the food industry and, in particular, in dairy companies has resulted
in a remarkable improvement in terms of dairy product safety and
quality. Eves and Dervisi (2005) state that HACCP per se does not

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.01.023
0956-7135/ 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
 E.L. Psomas, D.P. Kafetzopoulos / Food Control 53 (2015) 134e139
make safe food, but its correct and effective application can make
the difference. However, in practice, the effectiveness of the HACCP
FSS is often unsatisfactory due to unexpected outcomes in the food
production conditions and the behaviour of the people that
implement it (Azanza & Zamora-Luna, 2005; van der Spiegel,
Luningy, Ziggers, & Jongen, 2004). Moreover, certifying the FSS (for
example through ISO 22000) does not guarantee absolute food
safety and quality of the end product, so a food industry should
undertake additional activities, such as staff training, plans
improvement, cross tests, etc (Bilalis et al., 2009).
Taylor and Taylor (2004) state that there has been little work on
fully understanding the conditions under which HACCP effective-
ness is fully achieved, which would help companies identify
intervention strategies with regard to their performance
improvement. Bas, Yoksel, and avuoou (2007) suggest the
effective implementation of HACCP be further explored.
Fotopoulos, Kafetzopoulos, and Psomas (2009) also recommend
that the impact of the critical factor namely the system attributes
(e.g. ISO 22000) on HACCP effectiveness should be further explored,
not only in the whole food industry but in different food sub-
sectors. Bilalis et al. (2009) state that due to ignorance on the
part of consumers and market conditions, the comparison of the
two models (HACCP and ISO 22000) is essential, in order for a
business to be certied with the ISO 22000 standard.
Based on the above, it is apparent that there is a gap in the
literature with regard to the HACCP FSS effectiveness. The present
study contributes to the existing body of literature by examining
the differences between ISO 22000 certied and non-certied dairy
companies with regard to the degree to which HACCP effectiveness
is achieved. Non parametric tests such as the Chi-square Test and
the ManneWhitney Test are applied for this purpose.
The rest of the paper is structured as follows: in the rst part, the
effectiveness of the HACCP FSS is dened and the objectives of the
system and their respective indicators are identied. Having
revised the literature, the research hypothesis of the present study
is formulated. In the next part of the paper, the methodology of a
research study carried out in Greek dairy companies is described.
This is followed by the analysis and the respective results. In the
next part of the paper, the results are discussed and the nal con-
clusions and the practical implications are presented. Finally, the
limitations of the study and future research recommendations are
also presented.
2. Theoretical background
Dairy products traditionally constitute a prime source of human
nutrition. Today, many dairy varieties are consistently consumed
throughout the world either directly or as ingredients of other food
(e.g. pastries, pies, etc.) (Chountalas, Tsarouchas, & Lagodimos,
2009). Dairy products are biological and biochemical dynamic
food products and consequently, inherently unstable. Therefore,
the adherence to a strict quality system is of paramount importance
for ensuring the safe production of dairy products (Arvanitoyannis
& Mavropoulos, 2000). Consequently, the implementation of the
HACCP FSS (or the ISO 22000 standard) by food companies is of
great importance in order to produce microbiologically safe food
(Khandke & Mayes, 1998; Nguyen et al., 2004).
2.1. Dening the effectiveness of the HACCP FSS
Dumond (1994) denes effectiveness as the extent to which a
function meets its goals, while O'Donnell and Duffy (2002) describe
effectiveness as the degree to which results meet prescribed
goals. Similarly, Al Nakeeb, Williams, Hibberd, and Gronow (1998)
state that if a company meets prescribed quality objectives then
135
it is deemed effective. In other words, effectiveness focuses on the
extent to which the targets or goals of an organization or a system
(e.g. HACCP) are achieved (Dumond, 1994; Kafetzopoulos, Psomas,
& Kafetzopoulos, 2013b; Neely, Gregory, & Platts, 1995; Redshaw,
2000). So, from the above it is apparent that in order to assess
the effectiveness of the HACCP FSS, the objectives of the system as
well as their indicators should be identied.
2.2. Identifying the HACCP FSS objectives and their indicators
Authors such as van der Spiegel et al. (2004), Eves and Dervisi
(2005), Burlingame and Pineiro (2007), Trienekens and Zuurbier
(2008) and Domenech, Escriche, and Martorell (2008), claim that
the identication, assessment and the control of food borne safety
hazards are the objectives of the HACCP FSS that affect its effec-
tiveness. The indicators of the HACCP FSS objectives used in the
present study are drawn from the guidance of the Food and Agri-
culture Organization (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2007) as
well as the studies of the following authors: Sperber (1997),
Mortimore (2000), Ababouch (2000), Wallace and Powell (2005)
and Luning, Bango, Kussaga, Rovira, and Marcelis (2008), (Table 1).
Table 1
HACCP objectives and their indicators.
Objectives Indicatorsa
Identication of food Flow charts of procedures are frequently revised by
borne safety hazards experts.
All stages of the procedures in which safety
problems may occur are determined and
documented.
The HACCP team identies all hazards pertaining to
food ingredients.
The HACCP team uses brainstorming in order to
identify food safety problems and their causes.
The HACCP team uses literature data bases to
identify food borne safety hazards.
Experts note the product characteristics that create
food safety problems.
Evidence is provided regarding the determination
of food safety problems.
Assessment of food Employees fully recognize the signicance and
borne safety hazards criticality of any food safety problem.
Documented procedures are implemented so that
safety problems can be assessed.
The HACCP team assesses and classies each food
safety problem according to occurrence probability
and its criticality.
The HACCP team collects data for assessing hazard
criticality.
The HACCP team uses literature data bases to assess
the food borne safety hazards.
The HACCP team has the knowledge and the know-
how in order to assess the food borne safety
hazards.
Control of food borne A food company demonstrates the suitability of the
safety hazards methods and devices used for controlling food
safety problems.
Instructions are provided for monitoring process
parameters at the control measures.
The food company uses statistical methods for
controlling food safety problems.
Reliable and valid procedures are used for
monitoring and controlling food safety problems.
External audit results conrm the suitability of the
methods used for monitoring and controlling food
safety problems.
The programs for monitoring and controlling food
safety problems detect any excess of the limits in
the Critical Control Points (CCPs).
a
Drawn from (FAO, 2007), Luning et al. (2008), Wallace and Powell (2005),
Mortimore (2000), Ababouch (2000) and Sperber (1997).
136 E.L. Psomas, D.P. Kafetzopoulos / Food Control 53 (2015) 134e139
3. Research hypothesis formulation
Taylor and Kane (2005) note that the establishment, develop-
ment and maintenance of an effective HACCP FSS depend on a
complicated mixture of managerial and technical constraints (e.g.
those that are being set by the ISO 22000 FSS). Motarjemi and
Kaferstein (1999) mention that predicting and managing food
borne hazards depends on different factors such as company in-
frastructures and a company's ability to assure food hygiene con-
ditions. Fotopoulos et al. (2009) state that the effective
implementation of the HACCP FSS, in other words meeting HACCP
objectives (identication, assessment and the control of food borne
safety hazards), is strongly inuenced by factors such as human
resources attributes and company attributes.
FSS that are based on the requirements of the ISO 22000
standard or the principles of HACCP are regarded worldwide as
effective means for assuring food safety in the course of food
handling and processing and retail sales to consumers, while both
are applied throughout the whole food chain (Domenech et al.,
2008). The effectiveness of the HACCP FSS inuences the imple-
mentation of ISO 22000 (ISO 22000, 2005). The ISO 22000 stan-
dard helps food companies establish a FSS that is well designed,
effective and continuously revised as a part of the company
management system (Chountalas et al., 2009). According to
Grifth, Livesey, and Clayton (2010), the basis of good food safety
performance is a good food safety management system. However,
they also mention that in isolation this is insufcient and a high
level of compliance is necessary for the production of safe food
(Grifth et al., 2010).
Implementing HACCP through the ISO 22000 FSS also means
that a more integrated and effective management system is
adopted than simply implementing HACCP principles
(Chountalas et al., 2009). The most effective FSS is established,
operated and updated within the framework of a structured
management system and incorporated into the overall manage-
ment activities of the organization (Khatri & Collins, 2007). The
ISO 22000 standard offers an alternative to food enterprises that
do not implement ISO 9001 and want to have an effective food
safety management system (Aggelogiannopoulos, Drossinos, &
Athanasopoulos, 2007).
Based on the above, the following research hypothesis is
formulated:
RH: The ISO 22000 certied dairy companies achieve signi-
cantly higher levels of the HACCP FSS effectiveness than the non-
ISO 22000 certied.
4. Materials and methods
4.1. Questionnaire development
The above formulated research hypothesis stimulated the
design of a research study, where preliminary data would be
collected from Greek dairy companies. The data collection method
was that of the questionnaire. Based on the literature, the HACCP
FSS effectiveness is described through the system objectives and
the respective indicators. The initial version of the questionnaire
was reviewed by academics and pilot-tested by professionals. In
order to improve the clarity and understanding of the questions, a
few of them were re-phrased.
The nal version of the questionnaire consists of three parts. The
rst part includes questions on the demographic prole of a com-
pany. The second part contains statements with regard to the
HACCP FSS effectiveness and more specically statements assessing
the degree to which a dairy company identies, assesses and con-
trols food borne safety hazards (the three HACCP objectives).
Respondents were asked to indicate the degree of agreement or
disagreement with these statements, using a seven-point Likert
scale, where 1 represented strongly disagree and 7 represented
strongly agree.
4.2. Sample
The present study focuses on food companies that produce dairy
products. According to the Greek Organization for Certication and
Inspection of Agricultural Products called Agrocert, 519 dairy
companies were recorded in its database during the period that the
present study was carried out. All these dairy companies imple-
ment a FSS based on HACCP principles, as they are obliged to do by
law (since 2006). However, some of them have been certied ac-
cording to the ISO 22000 standard. Thus, the 519 dairy companies
constitute the companies of interest to the present research study.
Using a simple random sampling, a sample of 300 dairy companies
was selected in order to participate in the research study. It was
requested the questionnaire be answered by the company repre-
sentative responsible for the FSS. Both mail and face to face in-
terviews were used in order to collect the preliminary data. Finally,
74 completed questionnaires were received e a response rate of
24.6%.
Based on whether the responding dairy companies have been
certied according to ISO 22000, two clusters of companies are
created: those which implement the HACCP FSS without holding
any certication (non-ISO 22000 certied, 31.1% e 23 companies);
and those which implement the HACCP FSS and have been certied
according to ISO 22000 (68.9% e 51 companies).
Given that the responses were returned within an 8-week
period, the early and late responding companies were compared in
terms of the number of their employees and the questionnaire
items and no statistically signicant differences were found.
Furthermore, several non-responding dairy companies stated,
when contacted, that the major reason for not participating in the
research study was lack of time. So, it is apparent that non-response
bias is not likely to be an issue in the nal sample.
4.3. Data analysis
The non parametric ManneWhitney Test is used in order to
make comparisons between the ISO 22000 certied and non-ISO
22000 certied dairy companies, with respect to the achieve-
ment of HACCP objectives. The Chi-square test is also used in order
to compare the sub-samples of the dairy companies with regard to
their size. The small size of the overall sample and sub-samples of
the responding dairy companies and the fact that the assumption
of multivariate normality seems to be violated are the criteria by
which the non-parametric tests are chosen for comparing the sub-
samples. The statistical package SPSS 20 is used for data
processing.
5. Results
5.1. The company proles
The vast majority of the responding dairy companies are small-
medium sized (94.6%). Based on the Commission Recommendation
2003/361/EC concerning the denition of small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), the responding dairy companies can be further
categorized as follows: micro enterprises (<10 employees, 40.5%),
small enterprises (11e50 employees, 31.1%), and medium enter-
prises (51e250 employees, 23.0%). However, only 5.4% of the
responding companies are not SMEs, meaning that they have more
than 250 employees.
 E.L. Psomas, D.P. Kafetzopoulos / Food Control 53 (2015) 134e139
5.2. Comparing the ISO 22000 certied and non-ISO 22000 certied
dairy companies
In this part of the paper comparisons are made between the ISO
22000 certied dairy companies (51) and the non-ISO 22000
certied (23). No statistically signicant differences are observed
with regard to company size (based on the number of employees).
More specically, in both clusters of the dairy companies there are
micro, small, medium and large-sized enterprises (Table 2).
Comparing the two clusters of the dairy companies based on the
mean values of the HACCP FSS objectives (Table 3), we observe
statistically signicant differences with respect to the hazard
identication, hazard assessment and the hazard control
objective of HACCP. More specically, the degree to which the ISO
22000 certied dairy companies identify, assess and control food
safety hazards within the framework of HACCP, compared to non-
ISO 22000 certied, increases signicantly.
6. Discussion
6.1. The company proles
The vast majority of the participating in the present study dairy
companies are SMEs. However, this is not unexpected, having in
mind the research ndings of Fotopoulos et al. (2009) and
Fotopoulos, Psomas, and Vouzas (2010), regarding the small-
medium character of the Greek food companies they studied.
Vlachos (2009) also mentions that in the Greek food manufacturing
sector the majority of companies are SMEs, while, similarly,
Panigyrakis, Kapareliotis, and Ventoura (2009), state that the size of
the Greek manufacturing companies in general is quite small. It is
worth noting that in Greece, many companies, irrespective of the
sector to which they belong, are family-owned companies. So, their
small size, based on the number of employees, is partly justied
(Psomas, Fotopoulos, & Kafetzopoulos, 2011). Psychogios and
Szamosi (2007) also mention that the majority of Greek busi-
nesses are not only small sized but family oriented.
6.2. HACCP FSS effectiveness and ISO 22000 certication
The level to which the responding dairy SMEs, either ISO 22000
certied or not, implement the proposed practices that reect the
HACCP FSS objectives is deemed satisfactory. The ample experience
of the implementation of HACCP justies the high level of man-
aging food safety hazards. However, the ISO 22000 certied dairy
companies achieve signicantly higher levels of the HACCP FSS
effectiveness than the non-ISO 22000 certied. he implementa-
tion and certication of ISO 22000 may be the reason why the ISO
22000 certied dairy SMEs outperform the non-ISO 22000 certied
in identifying, assessing and controlling food borne safety hazards.
Thus, we accept the research hypothesis formulated in the present
study.
Table 2
Company proles.
Variables Dairy company clusters
Non-ISO 22000 certied ISO 22000 certied
n1 23 n2 51
Company Size (number of employees)a
<10 43.5 39.2
11e50 30.4 31.4
51e250 21.7 23.5
>250 4.40 5.90
a
No statistically signicant differences (Chi-square test).
137
Table 3
HACCP objectives of the ISO 22000 certied and non-certied dairy companies.
Variables Dairy company clusters
Non-ISO 22000 certied ISO 22000 certied
Sig. n1 23 n2 51
HACCP objectives
Hazard identication * 4.491a 5.611
Hazard assessment * 4.768 5.817
Hazard control * 4.739 5.696
*: Statistically signicant differences in p < 0.00 (Mann Whitney Test).
a
1 represents strongly disagree and 7 represents strongly agree.
Based on the empirical evidence from the present study, it
seems that the ISO 22000 certied companies identify better the
food borne safety hazards through examining in depth all the
stages of the critical processes, and authorizing the safety team to
determine the hazards' characteristics based on the literature and
experts on the eld. Finally, these dairy companies provide
appropriate evidence for documenting all the food safety problems
occurred. The ISO 22000 certied companies also assess better the
food borne safety hazards using documented procedures. They base
their assessment on the criticality and probability of occurrence of
the hazards that is determined through historical or longitudinal
data of dairy companies, the knowledge and experience of the
HACCP team and the literature. The ISO 22000 certied companies
having successfully identied and assessed the food borne safety
hazards, nally control them better, and thus, detect successfully
any excess of the limits in the Critical Control Points. The control of
the hazards is based on reliable and valid procedures using up to
date devices, statistical methods, sufcient instructions for moni-
toring process parameters at the control measures and internal and
external audits.
It seems that the ISO 22000 standard with its structure and
requirements signicantly helps dairy SMEs manage the food
safety hazards. In other words, the guidance provided by the ISO
22000 requirements to the diary SMEs seems to be more effective
in managing food safety hazards than simply implementing HACCP
principles. According to the ISO 22000 standard (ISO 22000, 2005),
the identication, assessment and control of food borne safety
hazards should be intrinsic parts of a well documented FSS. The
main responsibility for establishing such a FSS belongs to top
management. Characteristic elements of a robust ISO 22000 FSS
that certainly helps a dairy company manage effectively the food
hazards and achieve the objectives of HACCP are the following: a
strength top management commitment, a clear food safety policy
and plan, authorization of the food safety team to manage the food
hazards, open communication channels throughout the food sup-
ply chain and a prompt response to emergency situations.
Providing the top management the necessary resources with regard
to the human aspect, the infrastructures and the work environment
is fundamental for a dairy company to effectively manage the food
hazards. The above mentioned can be considered as prerequisites
for effectively managing the food hazards. How to achieve this, is
described in the requirement of the ISO 22000 standard Planning
and realization of safe products and validation. More specically,
the determination of the prerequisite programmes, the establish-
ment of the HACCP plan, the development of a traceability system
and the control of the non-conformities, should be carefully taken
into consideration by a diary company for the effective manage-
ment of the food hazards. The validation of the control measures,
the control of the monitoring and measurement processes, the
verication of the FSS (through internal audits) and nally the
improvement of the FSS, are also means that according to the ISO
138 E.L. Psomas, D.P. Kafetzopoulos / Food Control 53 (2015) 134e139
22000 standard, a dairy company can use in order to increase
HACCP effectiveness.
The effective management (identication, assessment and
control) of the food borne safety hazards, in other words, the
achievement of the HACCP objectives, can be ensured through a FSS
that combines, according to the ISO 22000 standard, the following
key elements to the whole food supply chain, up to the point of nal
consumption: interactive communication, system management,
prerequisite programmes, and HACCP principles (ISO 22000, 2005).
Taking into consideration the parameters of the food supply chain
in the design, development and maintenance of the FSS, is a dy-
namic characteristic element that only the ISO 22000 standard
promotes. Chountalas et al. (2009) also state that the system and
process approach that the ISO 22000 standard adopts may help
food SMEs more in their effort to achieve HACCP objectives and
implement an effective FSS.
The ndings of the study of Fotopoulos et al. (2009) are similar,
in part, to the present study's ndings, both revealing a high level of
identifying, assessing and controlling food safety hazards in ISO
22000 certied food companies. However, in that study, the FSS
attributes (e.g. the cost and time of implementation and the
paperwork required) do not have any signicant impact on HACCP
effectiveness, while in the present study there is a variation in
terms of HACCP effectiveness based on the ISO 22000 certication.
In other words, based on the present research ndings, it seems
that there is an inuence of the ISO 22000 implementation and
certication on HACCP effectiveness.
The purpose of the studies of Varzakas and Arvanitoyannis
(2008) and Arvanitoyannis and Varzakas (2009), is in line with
the general purpose of the present study. More specically, control
measures for food safety, based on HACCP and ISO 22000, are
reviewed, in order to provide a preventative, advantageous strategy
for minimising food safety hazards. These studies are focused,
similar to the present study, on a particular food sub-sector, such as
the processing of ready to eat vegetables and the industrial pro-
cessing of the common octopus respectively. Critical control points,
critical limits, process control, corrective actions and verication
have been identied and implemented in the HACCP plan, as in the
present study. However, in the studies of Varzakas and
Arvanitoyannis (2008) and Arvanitoyannis and Varzakas (2009),
the adoption of prerequisite programmes (PrPs) is the main dif-
ference detected between the two systems (HACCP and ISO 22000),
making ISO 22000 more exible. So, these studies refer to the
exibility of a certied FSS (such as ISO 22000) achieved through
the PrPs, while the present study refers to the increased HACCP
effectiveness in the ISO 22000 certied companies.
Similar to the present study, Bilalis et al. (2009) evaluate the
differences between two FSS, HACCP and ISO 22000. They focus on
the Greek organic food sector, while the present study focuses on
the dairy sector; however, the results are similar. More specically,
the results of Bilalis et al. (2009) show that the ISO 22000 standard
can respond better throughout the food chain with respect to risk
management, a message that also arises from the present study.
7. Conclusion
The superiority of the ISO 22000 certied dairy SMEs versus the
non-ISO 22000 certied with regard to HACCP effectiveness, in
other words to the degree of the achievement of HACCP objectives
(identication, assessment and control of food safety hazards), is a
signicant nding of the present study. Furthermore, the present
study conrms the small-medium character of the Greek dairy
companies.
The ndings of the present study give managers a meaningful
message. Managers of dairy SMEs taking advantage of the
structured organization, the documented procedures and the
principles of the ISO 22000 standard, will experience an improve-
ment in the management (identication, assessment and control)
of food safety hazards. They should realize that by implementing
the HACCP FSS and by being ISO 22000 certied, the level of the
achievement of the HACCP objectives is improved signicantly.
Consequently, dairy SMEs can minimize unidentied and uncon-
trolled food safety hazards which result in food contamination,
non-conformance to legal and customer requirements and
customer dissatisfaction. Unquestionably, this could lead to main-
taining and increasing market share. The current nancial crisis
which is reected not only in the Greek business environment but
unfortunately all over Europe, or at least in many other countries,
gives to this managerial message a more practical signicance and
value for a dairy SME.
The study presented in this paper suffers from some limitations
that give rise to suggestions for future research. The study is limited
to the dairy sector, which is a particular food sector. The overall
sample of the participating dairy companies is small and conse-
quently the size of the clusters created based on the ISO 22000
certication is also small. Although differences are observed be-
tween the small sized clusters of the dairy companies, using non
parametric tests, further validating these differences, using large
sized clusters of ISO 22000 certied and non-certied dairy com-
panies and food companies in general, is strongly recommended.
This would give the opportunity, through testing the assumptions
of multivariate data normality in large samples, to base the statis-
tical analyses on parametric tests. Furthermore, given that the
sample companies are limited to SMEs, it is strongly recommended
that the above mentioned comparisons be made incorporating
large dairy companies as well. In doing so, the degree can be
determined to which the differences observed above (between ISO
22000 certied and non-certied dairy companies), change due to
the company size. Furthermore, the determination of the structural
relationships between the HACCP FSS effectiveness, certication
status and company size is also suggested for future research
studies.
The data used in this study does not constitute objective but
subjective business evidence obtained from representatives of the
companies, which involves the risk of receiving biased responses.
So, future research is recommended using objective data that can
be drawn from the documents of the FSS.
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