It seems that today's world is becoming one of different cultures in all walks of life and business. In the food processing and handling industry, "food safety culture" is a growing and evolving concept. Food quality cultures have been established in the past, but the fact remains that one of the crucial building blocks for a successful food safety or quality culture is basic food hygiene. It is a logical progression that the industry must make a commitment to creating a hygiene culture. Far too many problems can be traced back to failures in basic hygiene such as poor cleaning, insufficient pest management, inadequate personal hygiene, improper clothing, or a failure to follow basic procedures.

In 1778, Reverend John Wesley used the phrase, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" in a sermon. He was urging his parishioners to live a clean life with God and humankind. The author mentions this because of the importance of cleanliness in the world of food and how the commitment to what seems so simple can minimize a myriad of problems in a society that seems to become more litigious by the day. It is imperative that processors try to do all that can be done to protect their business.