Risk, Uncertainty and Precaution in Science: The Threshold of the Toxicological Concern Approach in Food Toxicology

Area of Science:

• Environmental science
• Philosophy of science
• Food toxicology

Background:

• Environmental risk assessment frequently encounters significant scientific uncertainty.
• The precautionary principle is commonly used to guide decision-making amid uncertainty.
• Uncertainty influences both the application and development of scientific models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for exercising precaution during the development of risk assessment tools, not just their application.
• To examine the implications of this broader precautionary approach.
• To evaluate the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach in food toxicology against an epistemic precautionary principle.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of scientific uncertainty and precaution.
• Literature review in the philosophy of science.
• Case study analysis of the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach.

Main Results:

• Precaution should be applied during the development phase of risk assessment tools.
• The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach in food toxicology was analyzed.
• The TTC approach was found to be insufficient according to epistemic precautionary standards.

Conclusions:

• The precautionary principle should encompass the development of scientific tools for risk assessment.
• The threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approach in food toxicology requires re-evaluation.
• A more robust application of the precautionary principle is needed in scientific tool development and risk assessment.