Risk analysis in food safety

• Outline the elements in risk analysis, and explain how it support authorities to improve the health of the consumers both nationally and globally
• utilize digital methods for prioritizing microbiological and chemical hazards in food
• Interpret the biological mechanisms for how different microorganisms and chemicals cause adverse health effects in humans
• construct and use mathematical models and data to estimate the quantitative change of a microbiological hazard in a specific food item from the primary production to the consumption
• Utilizing data to estimate consumers quantitative exposure to a chemical substance when consuming a specific food item
• utilizing dose-response models of microbiological hazards to assess the probability that consumers become ill given the quantitative exposure to a foodborne hazard
• Evaluate dose-response data in chemical hazard characterization to define a point of departure for the possibility of setting a health based guidance value
• judge and utilize results from observational studies, animal experiments, laboratory experiments, reports, expert opinions, etc. in the assessment of human health risk
• analyze potential sources of uncertainties in data and information and integrate these uncertainties in the risk assessment
• integrating the effect of natural variation in risk assessments
• Analyze the interrelation between risk assessment and risk management
• make decisions about how to manage risk based on results from risk assessments

The course provides a multi-disciplinary approach to risk analysis in food safety, which is widely recognized as the fundamental methodology that should support the development of food safety standards. Risk analysis is a structured, systematic process that examines the potential adverse health effects consequential to a hazard or condition of a food and develops options for mitigating that risk.

Risk analysis represents a structured decision-making process with three distinct but closely connected components: risk management, risk assessment, and risk communication. The main focus of the course will be microbial and chemical risk assessment, but the participants will also work with risk management.

In the course, groups of 2-4 persons will be formed by the teacher, and each group will select one microbiological and one chemical case given by the teachers (e.g. Listeria in smoked salmon and lead in fish) on which they will perform risk assessments. On the basis of the risk assessment, they will provide proposals for prevention and control strategies. An active participation in the group work is crucial for obtaining the learning objectives of the course.

The lecturing facilitates that the students are active and participate in hands-on activities and discussions (flipped classroom). Half of the confrontation is related to case-studies and project work, and it is expected that students are present and participating actively in most of the lectures. In the confrontation hours, we will focus on hands-on activities and discussions of different topics in risk analysis and examples and group work on case studies given by the teachers.

Minimum: 10.

Please be aware that this course will only be held if the required minimum number of participants is met. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether the course will be held.