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IEH Academy Knowledge Center

The Methodology of Food Safety Risk Assessment

Food safety risk assessment is the process of evaluating the likelihood and potential consequences of a food safety hazard occurring in a food product or process. It involves identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the potential risks posed by a particular food safety hazard, and taking steps to mitigate or eliminate those risks.

There are several steps involved in the methodology of food safety risk assessment, including:

  • Hazard identification: This involves identifying the potential food safety hazards that may be present in a particular food product or process. Hazards can be physical, chemical, or biological in nature.

  • Hazard characterization: This involves evaluating the likelihood and potential consequences of a food safety hazard occurring in a food product or process.

  • Exposure assessment: This involves evaluating the potential for exposure to the identified hazards, including the amount and frequency of exposure.

  • Risk characterization: This involves combining the results of the hazard characterization and exposure assessment to determine the overall risk posed by the identified hazards.

  • Risk management: This involves taking steps to mitigate or eliminate the identified risks, such as implementing preventive controls or developing food safety plans.

  • Risk communication: This involves communicating the results of the risk assessment to relevant stakeholders, such as regulators, industry, and the public.

Food safety risk assessment is an ongoing process that is used to ensure the safety and quality of the food supply. It is an important tool for identifying and addressing potential food safety hazards, and helps to ensure that food products are safe for consumption.

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