# Developing a quality index and an evaluation indicator system for the National Food Safety Standard Framework in China

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a system to evaluate China's food safety standards using a quality index and indicator system based on scientific, relevant, and coordinated factors.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel three-layer evaluation system for China's National Food Safety Standard Framework using weighted indicators and the Delphi method.

## Key findings

- A three-layer evaluation indicator system was developed based on scientific nature, relevance, and coordination.
- Confirmatory factor analysis showed the scale has acceptable reliability and validity.
- Future research is needed to refine the evaluation instrument.

## Abstract

International Organization for Standardization and Codex Alimentarius Commission emphasized the importance of evaluating and monitoring food safety. National food safety standard framework (NFSSF)—a generic term for all national food safety standards of China—is an important part of the country’s food control system implemented over ten years. To evaluate NFSSF, the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment developed a quality index with an indicator scale. This study assessed this index with a three-layer evaluation indicator system (NFSSFeis) based on three dimensions, namely, scientific nature, relevance, and coordination, using 10 s-layer indicators weighed with the Delphi method. We conducted a pilot survey to test the scale built based on NFSSFeis. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that items in the scale have acceptable reliability and validity. With the development of the NFSSFeis, future research is needed to refine this instrument.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1057/s41271-026-00620-1.