Mechanisms for assessing food safety risk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the methods for assessing food safety risk within a food safety plan. Design/methodology/approach The research involved analysis of both qualitative and quantitative methods of risk assessment. Findings Risk assessment is a key element of the HACCP approach to food safety. It requires food business operators and those on HACCP teams to determine both the acceptable level of contamination and the risk for the food business, and ultimately the consumer. The choice of food safety risk assessment model is crucial to an organisation. The mechanisms to determine what is acceptable can be a combination of scientific based and value based criteria and utilise qualitative or semi‐quantitative approaches. Whilst fuzzy logic has a place in making risk assessment more quantitative; specific software tools are required to enable quantitative risk assessment especially where what is acceptable at one point could, subject to other factors later in the supply chain, change to an unacceptable level of risk to the consumer. Quantitative mechanisms are required to make these decisions at organisational, or indeed at policy level, fully transparent. Originality/value This research is of academic value and of value to policy makers and practitioners in the food supply chain.