Safety management and production process automation in the food industry

The food industry, as a sector directly linked to public health, is evolving its concept of safety management from product safety toward a holistic framework encompassing the physical and mental well-being of workers. This study compares food safety policies and legal systems in Korea, the EU, and the United States based on HACCP and ISO 22000 standards, while analyzing industrial accident statistics in the Korean food manufacturing sector between 2021 and 2023 to identify key accident patterns and implications. Case studies demonstrate that automation and digitalization of production processes significantly reduce physical strain, mental stress, and accident frequency, yet also generate emerging risks such as equipment collisions and job insecurity. Accordingly, human-centered automation design and the digital transformation of occupational safety and health systems are essential to strengthening the food industry’s sustainability, productivity, and global competitivenes.