In this section:
Considerations for a Risk Profile
Scope of work
Risk Profiles take the form of a review of the current peer reviewed literature and will incorporate industry data where available. The Risk Profile will identify data gaps, assess their relative importance and discuss how best these might be addressed as well as providing options for Risk Management consideration.
Suggested Elements to Include in a Microbiological Risk Profile
(Codex Alimentarius Commission 2005)
A risk profile should present, to the extent possible, information on the following:
1. Hazard-food commodity combination(s) of concern:
- Hazard(s) of concern, description of the food or food product and/ or condition of its use with which problems (foodborne illness, trade restrictions) due to this hazard have been associated and occurrence of the hazard in the food chain
2. Description of the public health problem:
- Description of the hazard including key attributes, characteristics of the disease, epidemiology of foodborne disease, seasonal, and ethnic, economic impact or burden of the disease if readily available
3. Food Production, processing, distribution and consumption:
- Characteristics of the commodity
- Description of the farm to table continuum
- What is currently known about the risk
- Summary of the extent and effectiveness of current risk management practices
- Identification of additional risk mitigation strategies
4. Other Risk Profile Elements:
- The extent of international trade of the food commodity, existence of regional/ international trade agreements, public perceptions of the problem and the risk
- Potential public health and economic consequences of establishing Codex MRM guidance document
5. Risk Assessment Needs and Questions for the Risk Assessors:
- Initial assessments of the need and benefits to be gained from requesting an MRA, and the feasibility that such an assessment could be accomplished within the required time frame and recommended questions
6. Available Information and Major Knowledge Gaps
Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) (2005) Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Food Hygiene Thirty-Seventh Session, CX/FH 05/37/03 Annex II, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 14-19.
