Abstract: Crossing multiple borders standards related food safety differs considerable from one country or region to the next. Whilst originally “hazard-based decision-making” has been (and often still is) the norm, governments around the world (lead by Codex Alimentarius, FAO and WHO) are adopting Risk Analysis (RA) as the framework for risk-based decision-making. Unilever has adopted this governmental model to risk-based decision-making and the science/technologies involved in it into our food safety assurance approach to innovating and marketing food products.
Food standards define essential aspects of the safety and quality of foods in international trade as well for public health related to foods. Whilst food is more and more traded of long distances, crossing multiple borders standards related food safety differ considerable from one country or region to the next. Global organisations such as Codex Alimentarius have, under auspices of the parent organisations FAO and WHO, guides its members through an evolution of food safety control based on hazards to one of providing risk-based guidance on food safety management (best) practices and setting standards related to consumer risk. Large scientific bodies such as JECFA, JMPR and JEMRA provide the scientific input into the risk management committees of Codex Alimentarius.
Importantly, food safety relies on adequate control of all relevant hazards, chemical, physical or biological. Current best practice systems for food safety management (GAP-GMP-GHP, HACCP) can achieve a very high level of food safety assurance when they are deployed faithfully and consistently, and are based on a sound product concept. It is a misconception that testing alone or even HACCP alone can deliver safe food. Rather, the combination of a good product and process design, good deployment using best practice systems and selective use of testing (for validation and verification) is the overall “package” that is needed for reliable food safety assurance. Whilst this is not at all a radically new insight, current practices around the world do not always reflect this thinking and views of societies’ about what constitutes a safe food product is a dynamic aspect both in time and in place. Food safety standards and other “metrics” reflecting safe foods vary tremendously between countries and/or regions, and the rational for this is not always evident or scientifically supported.
Food safety management in the international context is constantly evolving since it started to become more and more harmonized globally over the last 100 years. Whilst originally “hazard-based decision-making” has been (and often still is) the norm, governments around the world (lead by Codex Alimentarius, FAO and WHO) are adopting Risk Analysis (RA) as the framework for risk-based decision-making. This framework provides a structured and systematic foundation for modern food safety management as it supports a responsible move away from mere hazard-based to more risk-based food safety control at the governmental level. As part of the framework, and in the area of food safety microbiology, several new risk metrics have been designed to link country public health policy with operational control of the food present on the market. Unilever has adopted this governmental model to risk-based decision-making and the science/technologies involved in it into our food safety assurance approach to innovating and marketing food products. This approach consists of establishing a safe design based on pertinent knowledge/data, informed selection of processes and control measures to prevent, eliminate or adequately control significant hazards, and validation and verification by useful testing during the product innovation and product manufacturing.
Dr. Leon Gorris, Regulatory Affairs from Unilever will share more details and best practices about risk management and how to design and manufacture safe and innovative food products during ‘Food Safety & Quality Control China Conference” in June. Check here more details about his presentation, www.food-safety-china.com.
Key words: Food standards, food safety, hazard-based decision-making, quality control, Codex Alimentarius, Unilever
Media Contact：Jennifer Liu, Tel: +86-21-61573918, Email: Jennifer.liu@ubm.com
