Principles of risk assessment for illness caused by foodborne biological agents

Abstract

The Risk Assessment Subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria in Foods has prepared a generic document on the principles of risk assessment as applied to biological agents that can cause human foodborne disease. Typical biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths, protozoa, algae, parasites, and the toxic products that these agents may produce. Basic principles elaborated to characterize food pathogen risks include the four broadly accepted components of risk assessment. The role of surveillance and investigational activities to link biological agents and their food sources to consumer illness is described as is the role of predictive modeling for food pathogens.