Challenges and prospects of the European Food Safety Authority biological hazards risk assessments for food safety

Abstract

The Panel on Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) is a scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority that provides independent advice and performs risk assessment (RA) on biological hazards in the food and feed chain. The scientific outputs carried out during 2012–2016, covering a wide range of biological hazards for food safety, are presented in this review. The RA methodology applied by BIOHAZ Panel has evolved overtime, and varies from structured qualitative RA to the application of quantitative microbiological RA whenever possible and appropriate. Some of the future challenges envisaged include the new risks due to changes in food consumption and habits, the use of molecular typing methods for RA and the improvement in methodology via enhanced data collection for RA and integration of new methodologies.