Risk Assessment

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This episode of Food Safety Five discusses a new study that leverages a novel quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model that suggests that half of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses linked to romaine lettuce are caused by contamination via untreated overhead irrigation water.

Using a newly developed quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model, researchers have identified interventions along the U.S. romaine lettuce supply chain that would most effectively reduce E. coli contamination. The QMRA is publicly available for use.

This article discusses focus points for risk-focused auditing and auditing with defined goals.

A risk assessment is a systematic process used to identify, analyze, and address potential hazards that could compromise safety. It considers how likely a hazard is to occur and the severity of its consequences, leading to control measures that reduce risks to a safe level. These assessments should be dynamic, practical, action-oriented, and designed to foster true competence.

This article discusses the fundamentals of a retain sample program, which ensures that production samples from each lot of product are retained onsite. These retained samples allow the manufacturing company to evaluate any customer complaints, conduct quality checks, and provide samples to evaluate in the event of a recall.

Spices are sourced from various regions worldwide, often involving multiple suppliers, diverse agricultural practices, and differing regulatory standards. These complexities increase the risk of contamination, adulteration, and foodborne illnesses. Effectively managing these risks requires a thorough understanding of the international supply chain and the vulnerabilities that exist at each stage.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a paper describing research and innovation needs to support regulatory science and advance risk assessment, including understanding the gut microbiome, improving aggregate chemical exposure science, ensuring allergenicity assessments for novel proteins are fit-for-purpose, and other areas.

Using EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) data, researchers have developed an integrated artificial intelligence (AI) framework for conducting food safety risk assessments, and demonstrated its usefulness in decreasing the ambiguity of risk management decisions.

A paper authored by experts associated with ILSI Europe asserts that global food safety would benefit from the harmonization of risk assessment protocols for food contact materials used by different regulatory bodies, and suggests a path forward for working toward harmonization.

Reforms made to the market authorization process for products regulated by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) took effect on April 1, 2025, with two notable changes.