In this section:
Food Safety Risk Profile Service
The SARDI Food Safety Research Program provides specialist risk assessment and food safety research capability applicable to all commodities and industry sectors.
A core capability of the program is the provision of a Risk Profile service. This service has been developed to enable existing and emerging industries effectively manage food safety and related market access issues.
SARDI has led Risk Profiles for the Australian red meat industry (Meat & Livestock Association - MLA) and the Australian Egg Corporation Ltd (AECL) covering microbial, chemical and physical hazards from production-to-consumption.
What is a Risk Profile?
Risk profiling is one activity in preliminary risk management and has been defined by Codex as a description of a food safety problem and its context. This involves provision of a comprehensive description of the food safety problem associated with the pathogen(s):commodity combination(s).
Risk profiling involves the systematic collection of information needed to make a decision on what will be done next and where resources should be allocated to more detailed scientific assessment.
Commonly a Risk Profile will cover the production-to-consumption food continuum.
The risk profiling process typically provides information on: the hazard, exposure to the hazard, adverse health effects, public health surveillance information, control measures, and other information relevant to risk management decision-making.
Why conduct a Risk Profile?
While Risk Assessments have become the tool of choice, they characteristically require large resource inputs and are done over a long time frame (4–5 years). This time frame may see many changes to industry practice, thereby reducing the relevance of the assessments. By comparison, extensive industry-wide Risk Profiles have been conducted in 6–12 months.
Risk Profile reports:
- Rank hazard:product combinations according to public health risk
- Identify immediate and/or provisional risk management actions
- Identify data gaps and thereby research priorities
- Provide a mandate for risk assessment
When should a Risk Profile be conducted?
Risk Profiling is one activity in preliminary food safety Risk Management.
What guidelines exist for a Risk Profile?
The general Codex Risk Assessment Principles, namely (a) hazard identification, (b) hazard characterisation, (c) exposure (intake) assessment, and (d) risk characterisation provide the underlying principles for a Risk Profile.
Further information relating to considerations used in a Risk Profile (CAC 2005).
SARDI Food Safety Research Program
The SARDI Food Safety Research Program can assist established and emerging industries:
- Address the public health and safety of food
- Improve market acceptance of new products
- Support development of government and industry risk management strategies
Enquiries to:
Andreas Kiermeier, Program Leader
SARDI Food Safety Research Program
Email andreas.kiermeier@sa.gov.au
Phone: +61 8 8207 7884
Fax: +61 8 8207 7854
Download this information about the Food Safety Risk Profile Services (.PDF)
