The Use of Microbiological Risk Assessment Outputs to Develop Practical Risk Management Strategies: Metrics to improve food safety

Abstract

In 2004 FAO and WHO agreed that more work was needed in this area and this was endorsed by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene. FAO and WHO then initiated a programme of activities to address this, with the ultimate objective of providing guidance in the application of MRA to establish specific numerical targets or standards. These activities have included the establishment of a number of working groups to look at the issues and the results of microbiological risk assessment to develop food cont rol measures, with particular emphasis on the establishment of targets or metrics and their application. The outputs of these working groups and other relevant documentation were then considered and discussed by an expert meeting convened in Kiel, Germany on 3 – 7 April 2006. This report aims to summarise the recent international discussions and their outcomes and provide an overview as to the current status in terms of the application of MRA in food safety management. Although good progress has been made in recent years, many challenges remain.