Ewen C.D. Todd is organizing the symposium "Food Safety and Risk Assessment: New Approaches to Microbiological Problems" at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting today in Seattle. Todd emphasizes that microbiological foodborne hazards, such as listeriosis, are cause for concern today, due to many changes:
"Scientific risk-based policy is overtaking the cultural and political debate about food," said Todd, referring to the United States' recent single case of mad cow disease. "Countries are creating policies based on risk, not on culture. The current systems of testing and release of products have not proven very effective in reducing foodborne illness."
Risk assessments are the gathering of quantitative data on the prevalence (whether it occurs) and concentration (how much is present) of foodborne illness for specific foods. Modules from farm to fork help create a mathematical picture about risk for contamination. The resulting models can predict the number of illnesses that can occur, and how managers can change parameters - and thus food safety strategies - to control the risk. The concept is relatively new for the food industry - so it's imperative that the global community understand the issue and methods, Todd said.
Todd has gathered together world expert speakers on risk assessment of food to hash out approaches for countries as diverse as Malaysia and the United States - which, as with many countries, currently have different approaches to assess risk for foodborne illness. In addition to Todd, the speakers include:
Todd is a member of MSU's Environmental Science and Policy Program, a groundbreaking new effort that gathers the university's vast, multidisciplinary resources to best position students, scientists and society for a future filled with change and a need for balance.
For information on the program, access the Web site at www.environment.msu.edu
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness per year. This is the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. citizens acquiring a foodborne illness each year. The National Food Safety & Toxicology Center at Michigan State University, celebrating its fifth year of operation, is committed to reducing food-related disease on a global level through research, education and outreach.