RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT DURING FOOD

PREPARATION

PRESENTED BY:NABEELA ANSARI

SHIATS (agriculture university)

Allahabad, INDIA

INDEXChallenges facing food safety authoritiesWhat we mean by risk analysisHow risk analysis can be usedHow risk analysis can improve decisionsMicrobial risk assessment (MRA) and food safetyMRA Case Study #1: L. monocytogenesElements of Risk ManagementGeneral Principles Of Food Safety Risk

ManagementConclusionReference

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FACING FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITIES?

Rapidly growing volume and diversity of food tradeChanging agricultural practices, production and

manufacturing systems, food handling patterns, etc.

New and emerging food-borne hazardsEffect of climate change on the food supplyNew food and agricultural technologiesGreater public demands for health protectionRequirements of sanitary and phyto-sanitary

measures to be based on science and risk assessment

WHAT IS RISK ANALYSIS?

Risk assessment-Science-based tasks of measuring and describing the nature of the risk being analyzed.

Risk management-Defines the problem, articulates the goals of the risk analysis and identifies questions to be answered.

Risk communication-Interactive exchange of information among risk managers, risk assessors, consumers and other stakeholders

STRUCTURE OF RISK ANALYSIS

Risk Assessment•Hazard Identification•Hazard characterization•Exposure Assessment•Risk Characterization

Risk Management•Risk Evaluation•Option Assessment•Option Implementation•Monitoring & Review

Risk Communication

HOW IS RISK ANALYSIS USED?To predict the likelihood of exposure to harmful

agents that result in an adverse human health outcome

To prioritize food-related threats to public health in support of the decision-making process (e.g., resource allocation)

To identify points along the food supply chain that contribute to the public health risk

To evaluate and rank mitigation options and strategies with respect to human health outcomes

To provide the scientific and technical basis needed to develop risk management strategies

To communicate with stakeholders about the risks and measures applied

HOW DOES RISK ANALYSIS IMPROVE THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS?

Support decisions that are in proportion to public health risks involved

Enable systematic evaluation of likely impacts of measures selected to manage risks

Allow likely costs of compliance to be compared with expected benefits

Provide a useful metric in prioritizing different food safety problems

Meet obligations under international agreements and enhance trades

Identify gaps and uncertainties in scientific knowledge to help set research priorities

MICROBIAL RISK ASSESSMENT (MRA) AND FOOD SAFETY

MRA is performed for pathogen/food combinations that may be associated with food-borne illness (single pathogen, one product, the entire supply chain)

BASIC COMPONENTS OF AN MRA

MICROBIAL RISK ASSESSMENT COVERS THE FARM-TO-FORK CONTINUUM

Microbiological Risk Assessment can be applied to each individual step in a (typical) food supply chain, from primary production to consumption (single pathogen, one product, all supply chains)

MRA Case Study #1:L. monocytogenes in Deli Meats

FDA/USDA examined the effectiveness of testing and sanitation of food contact surfaces to reduce product contamination and risk of illness

Provided guidance on how frequently to test and sanitize food contact surfaces for Listeria spp.

FDA used MRA to rank LM risks of Ready-to-Eat (RTE) products

Approach : relative risk ranking of food categories

Purpose : identify the food category with the greatest public health risk

Key finding : deli meats pose the highest risk, and hence, deserve the focus

MRA Model Applied to the High Risk Category – Deli Meats

An “in-plant” model that predicts LM concentrations at retail.

Coupled with an updated version of the FDA Listeria model to predict human health impacts.

Track bacteria as they move from one media to another.

Incorporates FCS testing, product testing, sanitation, pre- and post-packaging interventions, growth inhibitors, etc.

MRA Model Provided Important Information on Interventions

Positive food contact surfaces for Listeria species greatly increased the likelihood of finding positive RTE product lots

Minimal testing frequency of food contact surfaces will only result in a small reduction in the levels of contamination at retail

Increased frequency of food contact surface testing and sanitation can reduce the risk of listeriosis

Combinations of interventions appear to be much more effective than any single intervention

Based on the MRA, Alternatives Were Developed to Reduce Risk

ALTERNATIVE 1– Employ both a post-lethality treatment and a growth inhibitor for Listeria on RTE products. Establishments opting for this alternative will be subject to FSIS verification activity that focuses on the post-lethality treatment effectiveness.

ALTERNATIVE 2– Employ either a post-lethality treatment or a growth inhibitor for Listeria on RTE products. Establishments opting for this alternative will be subject to more frequent FSIS verification activity than for Alternative 1.

ALTERNATIVE 3 – Employ sanitation measures only. Establishments opting for this alternative will be targeted with the most frequent level of FSIS verification activity.

ELEMENTS OF RISK MANAGEMENT

A. Risk evaluation· Identification of a food safety problem.· Establishment of a risk profile.· Ranking of the hazard for risk assessment and risk

management priority.· Establishment of risk assessment policy for

conduct of risk assessment.· Commissioning of risk assessment· Consideration of risk assessment result

B. Risk management option assessment· Identification of available management options.· Selection of preferred management option,

including consideration of an appropriate safety standard.

· Final management decision.

C. Implementation of management decision

D. Monitoring and review· Assessment of effectiveness of measures taken.· Review risk management and/or assessment as

necessary

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD SAFTEY RISK MANAGEMENT

Principle 1: Risk management should follow a structured approach

Principle 2: Protection of human health should be the primary consideration in risk management decisions.

Principle 3: Risk management decisions and practices should be transparent.

Principle 4: Determination of risk assessment policy should be included as a specific component of risk management.

Principle 5: Risk management should ensure the scientific integrity of the risk assessment process by maintaining the functional separation of risk management and risk assessment.

Principle 6: Risk management decisions should take into account the uncertainty in the output of the risk assessment.

Principle 7: Risk management should include clear, interactive communication with consumers and other interested parties in all aspects of the process.

Principle 8: Risk management should be a continuing process that takes into account all newly generated data in the evaluation and review of risk management decisions.

CONCLUSION

Risk assessment is a powerful tool for evaluating strategies to reduce disease and for prioritizing future research needs.

Because we can not “inspect our way to food safety,” risk assessment should be an integral part of food safety policy.

Scientists, risk managers, and policy makers need to work together to develop a food safety system that is both responsive and proactive in addressing threats to our food supply.

REFERENCEwww.wikipedia.orgFood Science (5th edition) By Norman N. Potter and

Joseph H. HotchkissDubai International Food Safety Conference,

February 24-26, 2009 Dubai, UAEManagement and food safety: Report of a Joint

FAO/WHO Consultation Rome, Italy, 27 to 31 January 1997

Microbial risk assesment guideline : A guide for national food safety authorities

Microbial risk assessment guideline

THANK YOU