The consultation noted that microbiological risk assessments could have a wide range of applications in food safety. Ideally, a risk assessment should encompass all components of the food system from production to consumption, so that risk factors as well as different strategies to reduce risks can be thoroughly described. A microbiological risk assessment can be used for a number of purposes such as, to develop broad food safety policies, develop sanitary measures that achieve specific food safety goals, and elaborate standards for food.
FAO and WHO are, over the next two years, undertaking a summary and interpretation of risk assessments for three pathogen-commodity combinations identified as priorities by the CCFH (ALINORM 01/13). The consultation recognized that in the absence of specific risk management guidance from the CCFH, the approach taken by FAO and WHO and the expert drafting groups in developing hazard characterizations and exposure assessments for Salmonella spp. in broilers and eggs and L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods was comprehensive and all embracing rather than being tailored to address specified risk management questions. Although an approach tailored to a specific question is preferred, the comprehensive approach taken does advance international understanding of two important components of risk assessment in a broad sense, and provides a strong platform for future provision of risk assessment advice as requested by FAO/WHO Member Countries, the CCFH, and other stakeholders.
The primary purpose of this report is to present updated executive summaries of the above-mentioned hazard characterizations and exposure assessments documents as prepared by the expert drafting groups, summarize the technical discussions arising from the presentation of these topics to the expert consultation, and make recommendations for further technical development. During the consultation the executive summaries presented with the technical documents were amended as appropriate for inclusion in the report. Where time allowed some amendments were made to the technical papers. The record of the deliberations of the relevant working groups presented here includes issues to be brought to the attention of FAO and WHO. Recommendations to facilitate this process, in both a specific and a general sense, are made to FAO and WHO. The report provides a transparent review of scientific opinion on the "state of the art" of microbiological risk assessment and identifies gaps in the data that need to be filled if sound quantitative risk assessments of the pathogen-commodity combinations specified by the CCFH are to be achieved. The report also illustrates the difference in modelling and resourcing demands for particular risk assessments according to the purpose and scope defined by risk managers.
The technical documents prepared by the expert drafting groups will be further revised to take into account public comment and ongoing input from the Joint Expert Consultations on Risk Assessment of Microbiological Hazards in Foods. The intention is to use this work to prepare a full risk assessment document pending further advice regarding scope and presentation from the CCFH.
