prevalence

Prevalence in food safety means how common a hazard or disease is in a given population at a specific time. It is usually expressed as a percentage or proportion, such as the share of food samples, animals, or people that are contaminated with a bacterium or contain a chemical above a certain level.

EFSA uses prevalence data to understand how widespread a risk is in the food chain. It collects and analyses data from EU Member States on the prevalence of hazards like Salmonella, Campylobacter, pesticide residues, or contaminants in food, animals, and the environment. This information feeds into EFSA’s risk assessments, helps identify high-risk foods or production stages, and allows trends to be monitored over time. EFSA’s findings support EU risk managers in setting control measures, targets, and regulations to reduce risks and protect public health.