Implementation gaps in food safety interventions: Evidence from a multi-vocal review focusing on animal-source foods in Ethiopia

Meseret Bekele Alemayehu^1,2*Delia Grace^3,4THEO KNIGHT-JONES²Florence Mutua⁴Johanna Lindahl^1,5,6Meena Daivadanam¹

• ¹International Maternal and Child Health, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
• ²International Livestock Research Institute (Ethiopia), Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• ³Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
• ⁴International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
• ⁵Swedish Veterinary Agency, Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
• ⁶Sustainability Learning and Research Centre (SWEDESD), Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset 751 85 Uppsala,, Sweden

Background: Food safety in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia, is shifting from identifying risks to implementing solutions, especially in the production, handling, and processing of animal-source foods. These foods are an essential and highly nutritious part of human diets in Ethiopia but pose significant health risks due to a high prevalence of foodborne illnesses which originate from consumption of infected animal products or from contamination along the value chain. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the current food safety intervention landscape in Ethiopia, to identify critical gaps and challenges related to the implementation of interventions aimed at improving the safety of animal-source foods.Methods: A multi-vocal literature review was conducted, combining published sources, grey literature, and key stakeholder interviews. Framework analysis was conducted using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Data consisted of twenty-six documents (four peer-reviewed literature from the systematic literature review and 22 grey literature) and fourteen key informant interviews. Result: We identified six specific implementation gaps based on the domains of the framework, focusing on different aspects of animal-source food safety, including workforce, product value chains, technology, finance, and policy. These gaps include a limited focus on milk and meat value chains, inadequate infrastructure capacity, insufficient data and documentation, a lack of regulatory enforcement, and a limited understanding of the relationship between food safety and food security. These challenges limit the overall reach, application, and scalability of animal-source food safety measures in Ethiopia.Conclusion: This study constitutes the first exploration of implementation gaps across the animal-source food safety intervention landscape in Ethiopia. We identified several positive aspects that could contribute to the success of interventions, including renewed government commitment, financial support from development partners, and the presence of regional legal frameworks. However, the interventions were often fragmented and lacked crucial cooperation between key implementation and regulatory stakeholders. Addressing these challenges will require a clearer articulation of national food safety goals, strengthened cross-sectoral collaboration, and strategic investment in critical infrastructure. Ultimately, building a coherent, well-coordinated, and resilient food safety system is essential not only for safeguarding public health but also for enhancing food security and supporting sustainable development in Ethiopia.