Development and implementation of a community-oriented approach to food safety management in a Rural Thai community

Food safety management in rural communities remains challenging because of fragmented governance, informal food systems, and limited stakeholder integration. This study aimed to develop and conduct the early implementation of a Community-Oriented Approach to Food Safety Management (COAFM) in a rural community in northern Thailand. A mixed-method implementation research design was conducted in Wiang Kaen District, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, integrating community context analysis, food hazard assessment, participatory co-design, and early implementation within an Input-Process-Output framework. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, while quantitative data were obtained from a household survey involving 204 households. Chemical and microbiological contamination assessments were conducted in eight food establishments, and binary logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with household food safety knowledge. The findings showed that the community food system combined household food production with dependence on externally sourced food products, particularly animal-based foods, potentially increasing food safety risks beyond community-level control. Stakeholder awareness of institutional food safety support mechanisms was limited and binary logistic regression identified gender, age, and rice production as significant factors associated with household food safety. Food contamination levels were generally low, although pesticide residues were detected in garlic samples obtained from external markets. The participatory co-design process also resulted in the establishment of a Community Food Safety Committee to strengthen local governance, stakeholder collaboration, and the implementation of food safety activities. Overall, the findings suggest that COAFM provides a feasible and evidence-informed implementation framework that integrates community context assessment, stakeholder engagement, and participatory governance to strengthen food safety management in rural communities. Tailoring interventions according to household characteristics and reinforcing local governance mechanisms may further enhance the sustainability of food safety management in a community.