FOOD. Science. Technology. Quality

Food. SCIENCE. Technology. Quality

Food. Science. TECHNOLOGY. Quality

Food. Science. Technology. QUALITY

Authors

JAROSŁAW KOWALIK, ANNA TARCZYŃSKA, STEFAN ZIAJKA

Title

The application of microbial risk assessment in food production and food trade

Abstract

Health quality of foods is determined by their safety and nutrition quality. Among the hazards appearing in food, the microbial hazard is the one deserving the highest and close attention, because it can result in diseases, epidemics, and, in some serious cases, even in death. Health protection activities should be based on detailed researches and professional risk analysis. The identification of various risks and their estimation during a risk assessment procedere can be applied in an advanced phase of the entire development of the HACCP system. The ‘Codex Alimetarius’ Commission founded a basis for the risk analysis system. A microbial risk assessment (MRA) constitutes an important issue within the food industry. Special assessment units usually conduct a microbial risk assessment and their members are professionals specialized in the following domains: food microbiology, epidemiology, food technology, and product development. Computer developed models of microbiological forecasts models appear very useful and supportive while predicting behaviors of microorganisms in ongoing processes, in products, and in the environment. The majority of models available are empirical ones based on experimental data. As soon as all necessary parameters are determined, statistic regression equations are calculated, and the validation is successfully completed, a developed computer forecast model can be used to make due forecasts.

Keywords

risk assessment, HACCP, food safety, predictive microbiology

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