Meeting report: FAO Technical Meeting on the Gut Microbiome in Food Safety Chemical Risk Assessment
FAO convened a Technical Meeting on Gut Microbiome in Food Safety Chemical Risk Assessment from December 12 to 14, 2023. A group of experts representing various regions and disciplines, ranging from toxicologists to specialists in microbial ecology engaged in chemical risk assessments and microbiome research programs, convened to discuss key aspects in the field.
The discussions centered around assessing the suitability, gaps, and requirements of microbiome-related data for chemical risk assessments, alongside exploring microbiome-host interactions and their biological significance.
During the meeting, the experts identified the conditions and developments that need to take place in order to integrate different gut microbiome data into chemical risk assessments. These conditions and developments were categorized into three main areas, including definitions, research, and methodological and analytical standardization.
The participants also highlighted significant challenges in the inclusion of microbiome data in the risk assessment of regulated substances.
These insights contribute to improving food safety chemical risk assessment practices by taking into account, when appropriate, recent advances in scientific research.
The meeting report is now available at https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/5e0f914f-7270-4c89-b92f-bc2d942cbbc4
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