Principles and Guidelines for Incorporating Microbiological Risk Assessment in the Development of Food Safety Standards, Guidelines and Related Texts

Report of a Joint FAO/WHO
Consultation

Kiel, Germany
18 - 22 March 2002

Issued by
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
the World Health Organization
and
the Institute for Hygiene and Food Safety of the Federal, Dairy Research Centre

in collaboration with

the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine
and
the Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Germany

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World health Organization nor of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The designations "developed" and "developing" economies are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgement about the stage reached by a particular country, country territory or area in the development process.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the World health Organization nor of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations nor of their affiliated organization(s).

1. INTRODUCTION

2. BACKGROUND

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTATION

4. SUMMARY OF GENERAL DISCUSSION

4.1. DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES
4.2. "LESSONS LEARNED" FROM CURRENT MRA ACTIVITIES
4.3. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

5. CONCLUSIONS

ANNEX I - LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

ANNEX II - LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS

ANNEX III - DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR INCORPORATING MICROBIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. PRELIMINARY RISK MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

2.1. IDENTIFICATION OF A FOOD SAFETY ISSUE
2.2. INITIATING IMMEDIATE INTERIM DECISIONS
2.3. RISK PROFILE
2.4. INITIAL RISK MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
2.5. DEFINING PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE MRA
2.6. ESTABLISHMENT OF MRA POLICY
2.7. COMMISSIONING OF THE MRA
2.8. INTERACTION DURING THE CONDUCT OF THE MRA
2.9. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS FROM MRA
2.10. CONSIDERATION OF RESULTS OF MRA

3. EVALUATING RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

3.1. IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION OF RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
3.2. STEPS TAKEN IN EVALUATING RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
3.3. USING MRA IN EVALUATION OF RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
3.4. APPROACHES FOR ARTICULATING AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF PROTECTION (ALOP)
3.5. USING MRA TO ENSURE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN ALOP
3.6. ESTABLISHING A FSO
3.7. COMMUNICATING THE EVALUATION OF RISK MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

4. IMPLEMENTATION

4.1. STANDARDS
4.2. USE OF FSOs IN IMPLEMENTATION OF STANDARDS
4.3. USE OF MRA IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STANDARDS IN THE ABSENCE OF A FSO

5. MONITORING AND REVIEW

5.1. MONITORING
5.2. REVIEW
5.3. USE OF MRA IN MONITORING AND REVIEW

ANNEX IV - USE OF ELEMENTS OF (QUANTITATIVE) MICROBIOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT BY INDUSTRY