cumulative risk assessment
Description:
A method of assessing risks to health or the environment posed by multiple substances such as chemicals
Context:
A cumulative risk assessment in food safety looks at the overall risk from exposure to multiple chemicals that affect the same health outcome or organ system. Instead of evaluating each chemical separately, it considers their combined effects, which may add up or interact.
EFSA uses cumulative risk assessment to estimate the total risk from groups of substances, such as several pesticides or contaminants in food, and to provide guidance on safe exposure levels. This helps ensure that regulatory limits protect people from the combined effects of multiple chemicals.