Population heterogeneity and its impact on the risk management of food safety

Successful risk management of possible toxicological effects of chemicals in food, including novel foods, requires diverse strategies. This paper concentrates on the advisability of introducing post marketing surveillance as a key stratagem in the risk management of selected foods and food chemicals. It is argued that this stratagem is particularly applicable to those occasions when the population at risk is relatively easily identified. A key element therefore in the successful use of post marketing surveillance in selected foods, requires those agencies responsible for risk management to introduce a more thorough analysis of population heterogeneity into their strategies.