Risk assessment has been extensively developed in several scientific fields, such as environmental science, economics, and civil engineering, among others. In the aftermath of the SPS and GATT agreements on the use of risk analysis framework in food trade, signed in the 1990s, international organisations and governments adopted risk assessment as a science-based process to ensure food safety along the food chain. The food industry can also benefit from the use of this approach for food process optimisation and quality assurance. Risk Assessment Methods for Biological and Chemical Hazards in Food introduces the reader to quantitative risk assessment methods encompassing general concepts to specific applications to biological and chemical hazards in foods. In the first section, the book presents food risk assessment as methodology and addresses, more specifically, new trends and approaches such as the development of risk rating methods, risk metrics, risk-benefit assessment studies and quality assessment methods. Section II is dedicated to biological hazards. This section identifies the most relevant biological hazards along the food chain and provides an overview on the types of predictive microbiology models used to describe the microbial response along the food chain. Chapter 12 specifically deals with cross contamination and the quantitative methods that can be applied to describe this relevant microbial process. The development and application of dose-response models (i.e. mathematical function describing the relationship between pathogen dose and health response) are also covered in this section. In Section III, the book translates risk assessment concepts into the area of chemical hazards, defining the process steps to determine chemical risk and describing the uncertainty and variability sources associated with chemicals. Key Features: Presents new trends and approaches in the field of risk assessment in foods Risk assessment concepts are illustrated by practical examples in the food sector Discusses how quantitative information and models are integrated in a quantitative risk asssment framework Provides examples of applications of quantitative chemical risk assessment in risk management The book, written by renowned experts in their field, is a comprehensive collection of quantitative methods and approaches applied to risk assessment in foods. It can be used as an extensive guide for food safety practitioners and researchers to perform quantitative risk assessment in foods

This volume takes an in-depth look at various biological and chemical hazards in food and food products that pose health threats. It also outlines methods and practices for the diagnosis, prevention, and management of these hazards in food production processes. The new scientific research and case studies presented in the volume cover mycotoxins, foodborne pathogens, antibiotic residues from dairy animals, pesticide residues, the presence of heavy metals in food, and more. Chapters also address food allergy management and offer lessons and practices in food recall situations. The authors discuss the various food toxins, their sources, as well as management, mitigation, and prevention strategies. Also addressed are the specific adverse effects on people with health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. This book is organized in such a way that each chapter treats one major food safety hazard and offers novel control methods for health, food safety, and quality enhancement through various means. Biological and Chemical Hazards in Food and Food Products: Prevention, Practices, and Management will aid researchers and policymakers as it illustrates the various aspects of food safety hazards and how to analyze and control these potential health threats.

Despite advances in hygiene, food treatment, and food processing, diseases caused by foodborne pathogens continue to constitute a worldwide public health concern. Ensuring food safety to protect public health remains a significant challenge in both developing and developed nations. Food Safety and Human Health provides a framework to manage food safety risks and assure a safe food system. Political, economic, and ecological changes have led to the re-emergence of many foodborne pathogens. The globalization of food markets, for example, has increased the challenge to manage the microbial risks. This reference will help to identify potential new approaches in the development of new microbiologically safe foods that will aid in preventing food borne illness outbreaks and provides the basic principles of food toxicology, food processing, and food safety. Food Safety and Human Health is an essential resource to help students, researchers, and industry professionals understand and address day-to-day problems regarding food contamination and safety. - Encompasses the first pedagogic treatment of the entire range of toxic compounds found naturally in foods or introduced by industrial contaminatio - Identifies areas of vital concern to consumers, such as toxicological implications of food, and human health implications of food processing - Focuses on safety aspects of genetically modified foods and the range of processing techniques along with the important food safety laws

Food safety is important and consumers have a right to expect that those who supply the food that they buy have taken every care to manufacture products that will do them no harm. Those with a responsibility for the regulation of the global food industry recognise this principle and legislate accordingly and the business of managing and regulating the safety of the food supply chain has come a long way in the last 25 years or so. Prompted by the emergence of new food safety hazards, such as the bacterial pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157, powerful new techniques for evaluating and managing the risks presented by these threats have been developed. For example, hazard analysis critical control point, or HACCP, has now become the food safety management system of choice worldwide. Although the food safety management tools are now widely available, they are still virtually useless unless they are supported by adequate and accurate information. HACCP does not work unless its practitioners have access to enough data and scientific knowledge to enable them to understand hazards and how to control them effectively. The Food Safety Hazard Guidebook is an attempt to address the problem of accessing the available information by distilling the key facts about a wide range of individual food safety hazards into a single text. The result is a guidebook, rather than an encyclopaedia, which acts as a portal for the immense and ever expanding body of scientific knowledge that exists for food safety. It is an easy-to-use information resource for anyone with a professional interest in the safety of the food supply. The book is easy to navigate and presents concise and carefully researched factual information on a wide range of biological and chemical hazards in a clear format that is designed to support risk analysis exercises and HACCP studies. It covers a broad range of established and emerging food safety hazards and includes details of authoritative sources of further information (many web-based) for those seeking to examine a topic in greater depth. The section on food allergens is a particularly valuable component of the book, the chapters on fish toxins are also useful and unusual in a book of this kind and bacterial pathogens are comprehensively covered. One of the most important features of the book is the wide scope of the content and the highly structured format designed to help the reader find information quickly. Other key benefits to the reader are: -The wide range of biological and chemical hazards covered in a single book -Written specifically with food industry professionals in mind -Easy to navigate and accessible for the non-expert -Clear and concise presentation of factual information presented in a format that lends itself to use in risk assessment exercises -Inclusion of references and web links to reliable sources of further information on each chapter -specifically designed for practical use by a professional readership.

Food Hygiene and Toxicology in Ready-to-Eat Foods is a solid reference for anyone in the food industry needing to understand the complex issues and mechanisms of biological control and chemical hazards to ensure food safety. infectious and non-infectious contaminants in raw, minimally processed, and prepared foods are covered in detail, as well as effective measures to avoid foodborne infections and intoxications. The book is written by an international team of experts presenting the most up-to-date research in the field, and provides current applications and guidance to enhance food safety in the food industry. Strategies and recommendations for each food category include, among others, how to avoid cross-contamination of pathogens, the proper uses of antimicrobial coatings and spray cleanings of fresh produce, and acrylamide reduction during processing. leafy vegetables, fruit juices, nuts, meat and dairy products are some of the ready-to-eat foods covered. - Provides the latest on research and development in the field of food safety incorporating practical real life examples for microbiological risk assessment and reduction in the food industry - Includes specific aspects of potential contamination and the importance of various risks associated with ready-to-eat foods - Describes potential harmful agents that may arise in foods during processing and packaging - Presents information on psychrotropic pathogens and food poisoning strains, effect of temperature, Salmonella, Listeria, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Norovirus, parasites, fungal microbiota, enterotoxins, and more

With the world’s growing population, the provision of a safe, nutritious and wholesome food supply for all has become a major challenge. To achieve this, effective risk management based on sound science and unbiased information is required by all stakeholders, including the food industry, governments and consumers themselves. In addition, the globalization of the food supply requires the harmonization of policies and standards based on a common understanding of food safety among authorities in countries around the world. With some 280 chapters, the Encyclopedia of Food Safety provides unbiased and concise overviews which form in total a comprehensive coverage of a broad range of food safety topics, which may be grouped under the following general categories: History and basic sciences that support food safety; Foodborne diseases, including surveillance and investigation; Foodborne hazards, including microbiological and chemical agents; Substances added to food, both directly and indirectly; Food technologies, including the latest developments; Food commodities, including their potential hazards and controls; Food safety management systems, including their elements and the roles of stakeholders. The Encyclopedia provides a platform for experts from the field of food safety and related fields, such as nutrition, food science and technology and environment to share and learn from state-of-the art expertise with the rest of the food safety community. Assembled with the objective of facilitating the work of those working in the field of food safety and related fields, such as nutrition, food science and technology and environment - this work covers the entire spectrum of food safety topics into one comprehensive reference work The Editors have made every effort to ensure that this work meets strict quality and pedagogical thresholds such as: contributions by the foremost authorities in their fields; unbiased and concise overviews on a multitude of food safety subjects; references for further information, and specialized and general definitions for food safety terminology In maintaining confidence in the safety of the food supply, sound scientific information is key to effectively and efficiently assessing, managing and communicating on food safety risks. Yet, professionals and other specialists working in this multidisciplinary field are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with developments outside their immediate areas of expertise. This single source of concise, reliable and authoritative information on food safety has, more than ever, become a necessity

The ingestion of food containing pathogenic microorganisms (i.e. bacteria and their toxins, fungi, viruses) and parasites can cause food-borne diseases in humans. A growing number of emerging pathogens, changes of virulence of known pathogens and appearance of antibiotic resistance has recently exposed consumers to a major risk of illness. Also infected people and the environment can spread microorganisms on raw or processed food. Outbreaks of food-borne diseases are often unrecognized, unreported, or not investigated and particularly in developing countries their agents and sources are mostly unknown. Surveillance and analytical methods aiming at their detection are to be hoped, as well as good strategies to struggle against these threats. This E-book is subdivided in chapters regarding to pathogenic and spoiling microorganisms, chemical hazards produced by biological agents and food safety management systems.

How safe is our food supply? Each year the media report what appears to be growing concern related to illness caused by the food consumed by Americans. These food borne illnesses are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, pesticide residues, and food additives. Recent actions taken at the federal, state, and local levels in response to the increase in reported incidences of food borne illnesses point to the need to evaluate the food safety system in the United States. This book assesses the effectiveness of the current food safety system and provides recommendations on changes needed to ensure an effective science-based food safety system. Ensuring Safe Food discusses such important issues as: What are the primary hazards associated with the food supply? What gaps exist in the current system for ensuring a safe food supply? What effects do trends in food consumption have on food safety? What is the impact of food preparation and handling practices in the home, in food services, or in production operations on the risk of food borne illnesses? What organizational changes in responsibility or oversight could be made to increase the effectiveness of the food safety system in the United States? Current concerns associated with microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards in the food supply are discussed. The book also considers how changes in technology and food processing might introduce new risks. Recommendations are made on steps for developing a coordinated, unified system for food safety. The book also highlights areas that need additional study. Ensuring Safe Food will be important for policymakers, food trade professionals, food producers, food processors, food researchers, public health professionals, and consumers.