An Introduction to Risk
Analysis
Sarah Cahill
Food Quality and Standards
Service
Hazards in Foods and Risk
• Influenced by many factors all along the
food chain
• New trends
– Globalization, urbanization, consumption
patterns, production and processing
technologies
• New challenges
– WTO agreements, Emerging/evolving pathogens
Problems
• Food safety - an increasing concern
• Traditional food safety systems
breaking down
• Not able to cope with new trends and
challenges
Solutions
• Move towards more science based and
integrated systems
• Holistic approaches – looking at food
safety all along the food chain
• Risk analysis key to achieving this
– Essential part of transformation to a
modern food safety system
– Science - based approach
Evolution of Risk Analysis
• Used in on form or another for centuries
• Structured food safety risk analysis
developed in the 1990s
• Activities of international organizations
– FAO, WHO, Codex, WTO
Codex activities
FAO/WHO
conference
recommendation
to Codex re use
of science
1991
Adoption of statements of principles re
use of science, food safety risk
assessment risk analysis terminology
and guidelines
WTO SPS
Agreement
1995
FAO/WHO
Expert con.
on RA
1997
1998
FAO/WHO
Expert
con.
on RM
1999
FAO/WHO
Expert con.
on MRA
FAO/WHO
Expert con.
on RC
2000
2002
2003
FAO/WHO
expert
cons. on
MRA and
RM
Risk Analysis
Risk
management
Risk
assessment
Risk
Riskcommunication
Communication
Risk Management
• Defines the problems
• Establish links between foodborne disease and food
safety
• Articulates goals - to improve food safety, reduce
burden of foodborne disease, continuous efforts,
links actions to benefits
• Defines whether risk assessment is needed and its
purpose
• Make decisions
• Take actions
Preliminary
risk
management
activities
Monitoring
And
Review
RISK
MANAGEMENT
Implementation
Evaluation
of risk
management
options
Risk Assessment
Hazard
Identification
Hazard
characterization
Risk
characterization
Exposure
assessment
Risk Communication
Interactive exchange of information and
opinions among risk managers, risk
assessors, consumers and other
stakeholders
Risk Analysis - Who Uses It?
• A tool for use primarily by
governments
– protect consumer health
– maintain confidence in internationally
traded food (market maintenance) harmonization, mutual recognition,
equivalence
Risk Analysis – Who Uses It?
• At international level
– WTO - use risk assessment techniques
developed by relevant international
organizations
– used by standard setting bodies, Codex,
IPPC, OIE
Risk Analysis and Codex
• 2003 – Codex adopted
“Working Principles for Risk Analysis for
Application in the Framework of the
Codex Alimentarius and related
definitions”
Risk Analysis Principles
•
•
•
•
•
•
Consistent use
Open and transparent
Structured
Evaluate and review as appropriate
Effective communication
Apply 3 components of RA within an
overarching food safety RM framework
• Availability of sci. data - different RM texts
• Precaution is an inherent element
• Consider developing country situations
Risk analysis - Concluding
Summary
• Risk analysis and its components
– Provide a tool for managing risks
– Internationally recognized approach
– Enables comparisons of control systems
– Protect consumer health
– International market acceptance of food
products