United States Food and Drug Administration approach to risk evaluation and risk management for foods

Abstract

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is developing a comprehensive program on risk evaluation and risk management related to foods and food ingredients. Various groups view the FDA differently in terms of potential food hazards, but the regulatory agency is required to follow the laws that reflect a set of social judgments about permissible risks and benefits. The traditional agency approaches to risk management are reviewed and recent plins to consider structural changes in the basic food statute that could lead to greater administrative flexibility are presented. The proposed tentative suggestions discussed embody basic principles that the public health and trust remain the focus of food safety laws. Public confidence in the present system must be retained, it must be a credible system, embody valid scientific data, and the regulatory actions must be taken by FDA scientists who are recognized for their scientific competence. All the proposed actions need to be taken without placing unnecessary economic burdens on industry. The scope of this program is reviewed.