Risk assessment guidelines for food products

Helpful questions to ask in any risk assessment. It is recommended that all food business operators regularly practise crisis management.

Background facts

• What is the lifespan of the food? In what quantity is it consumed?
• Who is it targeted at?
• Which managers hold Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), due diligence, quality testing and hygiene records, regulatory files, instructions, warnings, information on customer complaints etc?
• How much of the food is in circulation?
• What batches are affected?

Assessing the risk of the hazard

• What is the hazard?
• What causes the hazard?
• Does the hazard only occur in certain situations that may be defined?
• Are the particular health sensitivities of a specific category of consumers affected?
• Is the food intended for that category of consumers?
• How serious are the consequences, eg is there the possibility of the food being injurious to health?
• Are there any probable immediate and/or short-term and/or long-term effects of that food on the health of a person consuming it, but also on subsequent generations?
• Are there any probable cumulative toxic effects?
• If not unsafe in normal circumstances, is the food unacceptable for human consumption?
• How predictable is the hazard?
• Is the hazard avoidable? What steps are possible or feasible to avoid it occurring?

In case of difficulty, it may be helpful to consider the following question in addition to those listed above:

• What, if anything, is the general and approved practice in this situation?
• What is the attitude of the regulatory authorities/FSA/EFSA?
• Do competitor foods have the same hazard or how do they avoid it?
• How damaging would the disclosure of the company’s existing records on the problem appear if no action is taken?

This article first appeared in the Food & drink bulletin in November 2006. Please click here to view the pdf in a new window.