steps of risk assessment
Description:
A scientifically-based process consisting of four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation
Context:
The steps of risk assessment are the main stages used to evaluate food safety risks in a structured way. They ensure that potential hazards in food are studied scientifically and consistently. The four main steps are:
- Hazard identification – figuring out what harmful substances, microorganisms, or other dangers are present in food.
- Hazard characterisation – understanding how these hazards can affect health, and at what levels they might cause harm.
- Exposure assessment – estimating how much of the hazard people are likely to consume through their diet.
- Risk characterisation – combining hazard information and exposure data to describe the overall risk