Emerging risks identification on food and feed - EFSA

Area of Science:

• Food safety science
• Risk assessment methodologies
• Emerging risk identification

Background:

• The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has procedures for identifying emerging risks in food and feed.
• A Standing Working Group on Emerging Risks (SWG-ER) collaborated with EFSA to review its Emerging Risks Identification (ERI) procedure.
• The review identified strengths in expert networks but highlighted weaknesses in data handling and governance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate EFSA's current Emerging Risks Identification (ERI) procedure.
• To provide strategic direction for improving EFSA's approach to emerging risks.
• To address identified weaknesses in data collection, analysis, and communication.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of EFSA's ERI methodologies and results.
• Analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the existing procedure.
• Expert consultation and collaborative review by the SWG-ER.

Main Results:

• EFSA's ERI procedure effectively uses expert networks but lacks a systematic approach for weighting/ranking risks and clear governance.
• Significant weaknesses were identified in data collection, analysis, integration, and the absence of a risk avoidance value estimation methodology.
• There is an urgent need for improved communication strategies addressing data gaps, uncertainty, and risk perception.

Conclusions:

• EFSA's ERI procedure requires revision to enhance transparency and communication.
• Recommendations include adopting a food system-based approach with social science integration and developing horizon scanning protocols.
• Improving data processing for big data analytics, implementing data validation, and fostering data sharing agreements are crucial for future risk identification.