Food safety in europe: risk assessment of chemicals in food and diet

Objetivo

TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM

The general paradigm for risk assessment, namely identification of hazard, characterisation of hazard, assessment of exposure and characterisation of risk, is widely accepted and has been agreed on by the Codex Alimentarius. The principles of this approach will be used in the future for evaluation of chemicals consumed in food and are embodied in the SPS agreement of the WTO. However, it is not laid down how the risk assessment should be performed in practice and there is less agreement on requirements of each stage in the process or how some components of the overall database should be applied. Therefore the project will focus on the following objectives:

1. To carry out a detailed state-of-the-art appraisal of all stages involved in risk assessment and seek to integrate these in the most relevant manner for assessing risk using a matrix approach;
2. to explore means of improving the principles applied to, and scientific basis of, risk assessment with respect to natural toxicants, food additives and contaminants in the food chain, including possible interactions between individual chemicals and effects of the food matrix;
3. to identify gaps in knowledge that might lead to differences in interpretation of toxicological and exposure data, and the research need to reduce these;
4. to determine the nature and level of testing needed for safety evaluation relevant to the nature of the chemical, level of use/occurrence in the diet and human exposure (including novel foods and processes, nutritional supplements);
5. to add a European contribution to international initiatives to harmonise principles, terminology and methodology for risk assessment;
6. to contribute towards a consensus on risk assessment issues that is scientifically transparent and justifiable;
7. to assist risk managers in developing appropriate, defensible food standards that adequately protect the safety of the consumer whilst allowing for innovation in food production and processing.

EXPECTED RESULTS

A multidisciplinary European network will be set up to critically assess the current knowledge in Risk Assessment and to examine the science base for new qualitative and quantitative methodologies used in assessing risks from chemical substances in the food chain. A gap analysis will be conducted to identify research needs in the area. The aim is to provide a measure of consensus of the ways in which Risk Assessment should be conducted in various situations and of the research needed to improve the process. The project will be addressed by "Individual Theme Groups" (ITGs) comprising collaborators with specialised expertise in the theme areas of:
Hazard Identification: in vivo and in vitro methodologies (2 ITGs);
Hazard Characterisation: biologically based methodologies; mathematical modelling, precision of endpoints and safety/uncertainty factors (2 ITGs);
Exposure Assessment: methods of assessing intakes from the diet; epidemiological techniques relating exposure to outcome (2 ITGs);
Risk Characterisation: this theme group will integrate the output of the other ITGs in a holistic appraisal of characterisation and quantification of risk.

Each ITG in the fields of hazard identification, hazard characterisation and exposure assessment will prepare a report of its findings, conclusions and recommendations, which will be reviewed by a plenary meeting, and the 3 reports will be published in the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Subsequently, the ITG on Risk Characterisation will integrate the reports into one general document and address any additional issues arising during this integrative process to ensure maximum coherence between the various components of the Risk Characterisation process. The integrated document will be also published after being reviewed by a plenary meeting.

APPLICATIONS

The project will impact on measures to improve the quality of life and health by identifying better and more reliable ways in which food safety can be assured for the population as a whole and for particular "at risk" sub-groups. By facilitating harmonisation of the principles and practices in risk assessment, the project will contribute to the principle of subsidiarity by ensuring that risk assessment performed by one competent authority in the Union are likely to be agreed by other member states e.g. in the process of evaluation of novel foods. Consumer confidence in the risk assessment process will be enhanced if there is greater agreement among those involved in the risk assessment process about the nature and extent of the data required and a clearer direction to the risk managers about the nature of the hazard and quantitative estimates of risk. There will be benefits to industry from the development of a harmonised approach to risk assessment since a clearer understanding of data requirements will facilitate the developments of new food sources, ingredients or products without unnecessary testing but while still providing adequate provision of safety. By ensuring that the risk assessment processes are more appropriately targeted in relation to the nature and magnitude of the risk, scarce scientific resources will be used most effectively and economically without degrading the level of safety assurance delivered to the consumer. Finally, improved understanding of the potential of in vitro tests in the risk assessment procedures should provide better insights into the mechanisms of toxicity and their relevance for humans while minimising the use of animals and the associated ethical questions.

Ámbito científico

Programa(s)

FP5-LIFE QUALITY - Specific Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Quality of life and management of living resources", 1998-2002

Tema(s)

1.1.1.-1. - Key action Food, Nutrition and Health

Convocatoria de propuestas

Data not available

Régimen de financiación

CON - Coordination of research actions

Coordinador

INTERNATIONAL LIFE SCIENCES INSTITUTE EUROPE

Aportación de la UE

Sin datos

Dirección

Avenue E. Mounier 83
1200 BRUXELLES
Bélgica

Coste total