A Global Value Chain Approach to Food Safety and Quality Standards

Abstract

This paper builds an analytical model to explain the relationship between value chain structures, food standards and food safety levels, and explores the plausibility of this model based on new and previous food safety case studies. By comparing the value chains of several types of products meats, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products we can disentangle how value chain structures interact with different food regulatory systems. Moreover, this paper shows how both developed and developing countries are affected by and respond to the transformation of the global agri-food industry as well as the system of changing food safety standards.