FSA Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Guy Poppy, said: 'This is a really valuable report that advances the debate on how to ensure that decision makers are clear about the evidence, assumptions and other considerations that shape decisions affecting the food we eat.
‘These issues are at the heart of FSA’s strategy and our commitment to develop, apply and communicate openly a robust evidence base in our work to protect consumers’ interests.
‘Science and the assessment of risks to health are central in this. But our decisions – whether on regulations on chemicals in food, in responding to food incidents, or deciding the best approaches to risky foods, consumer choice or effective controls on food businesses – quite rightly take account of other factors too. These include wider costs and benefits, consumers’ and business’ views and values, and what we know about how the different options will work in practice. We need to be clear how we have assessed and weighed all of these issues in coming to a decision.
‘The FSA welcomes the recommendations made in the report and has committed to developing and piloting approaches to see what works best in practice, working with other countries, scientists and stakeholders. I look forward to taking an active part in this work.’
Read the report
head-of-agencies-2nd-report.pdf
