In 2000 FAO and WHO expanded their activities in the area of microbiological risk assessment to meet the increasing need for risk based scientific advice and information and tools to undertake microbiological risk assessment. As microbiological risk assessment requires a multidiciplinary approach FAO and WHO coordinate their work in this area through the implementation of joint FAO/WHO meetings on microbiological risk assessment (JEMRA).
Objectives
Risk assessments: One of the main aims of JEMRA is to provide a transparent review of scientific opinion on the state of the art of MRA, and to develop the means of achieving sound quantitative risk assessments of specific pathogen-commodity combinations. The work includes an evaluation of existing risk assessments; a review of the available data and current risk assessment methodologies, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses and how they may be applied; provision of examples; and identification of ongoing data and information needs.
Much of the work of JEMRA focusses on risk assessment of pathogen-commodity combinations. The documentation relating to these risk assessment is elaborated through the establishment of expert drafting groups and the implementation of expert meetings. The time required to undertake these risk assessments depends on the resources available and the priority of the work as well as the scope and complexity of the issue to be addressed.
This work aims to meet the needs of two customers:
i. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, primarily the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH), to assist them in the development of standards, guidelines and recommendations for food in international trade, and
ii. FAO and WHO Member Countries to assist them overcome problems related to the microbiological hazards in foods and achieve a greater level of consumer protection
Guidelines: The purpose of developing guidelines in relation to the different steps of risk assessment is to help the risk assessor, the risk manager and other interested parties to understand the principles and science behind the risk assessment steps. The guidelines are being developed with the collaboration of internationally recognized experts in the relevant disciplines.
Data collection and Generation: Data is critical for risk assessment and it is something that is being generated on a daily basis. Yet much of the available data is unsuitable for risk assessment. JEMRA aims to identify the types and characteristics of data that can be used in MRA. The identification of data sources, generic information, and data gaps and future research needs will be an ongoing activity. As our experience in risk assessment increases further guidance on the generation and selection of data for risk assessment will be developed.
Application of risk assessment in risk management: A further aim of JEMRA is to provide guidance on how risk assessment can be effectively used by risk managers as a decision support tool. It is the risk manager who will firstly decide whether a risk assessment would facilitate his/her task. It is also the risk manager who will be one of the ultimate users of the the outputs from the risk assessment. Therefore assisting risk managers in understanding the risk assessment process and its scientific basis is critical to ensure optimal use of this tool.
Technology transfer: Finally JEMRA aims to make this information available to all those who may benefit from it such as national governments, risk managers, scientists, Codex etc. This will be primarily achieved by making the information available in publications, on the Internet and CD-ROM. Secondly, information sessions, seminars and workshops will be implemented. In the longer term risk assessment "tool-kits" will be developed for use in training and national situations.
