PRACTICAL APPROACH TO FOOD SAFETY RISK ANALYSIS TRAININGA FOOD SAFETY TECHNICAL NETWORK (FSTN) WEBINAR/SEMINAR – 23 JANUARY 2017

FSTN Webinar series

Example and lessons learnt from a TCP in Mali

Practical approach to food safety risk analysis training

Background and initial reflexions

Mali:

- invested a lot in a more active participation in Codex work;

- good awareness of importance of risk analysis

But difficulties in:- Integrating it as part of the food control activities; “theory”

versus “practice”

- Getting the necessary data to develop any component of the risk analysis framework

Initially agreed principles for developing the training approach- Practical training sessions – acknowledgment that

- This takes time – repeat until a habit- Need to build exercises (much longer that to develop presentations)- 2/3 of time dedicated to exercises- usually 4.5 days sessions

- Working as much as possible with real country data:- More interest for participants- Results from exercises of direct use to target food control activities- National food safety authority commits to research specific areas as part of their food

control activities to provide the data to work on

- Build continuity: - set up of a team, that would commit to follow entire course of project and - form the platform for future risk analysis activities - Continuity between training sessions ( slight overlap + exploring further in detail

issues as they appear)- Start practicing between courses with specific research/preparation/follow up

Training sequence: Basis: risk management framework

Risk Management

Framework

1. Preliminary risk management

activities

4. Monitoring and

review

2. Options

identification,

evaluation &

selection

3. Implementation

- Identification of FS priority issues- Risk profiles- Comm. Risk assessment?

- Dialogue with Risk assessors

- Compare/select risk management

options

1st Training

Aim of training session: - what is risk analysis in practice, in the “real world”? - what are your food safety issues? - how do you set up priorities?- Supporting tools (risk profiles)?

Exercises on - risk ranking; - building tables and templates for subsequent data collection

(consumption data; contamination data; public health data)

Outputs: 2 food safety issues identified for further work-salmonella in chicken and- mycotoxins in cereals.

Outstanding questions: what data is needed? How to collect it?

2nd Training (1/2)

Aim of training session: - chemical risk assessment in practice, working on the issue of

aflatoxin contamination in cereals and other staple foods.

Preparation prior to course: - Collection of information on contamination levels by different

compounds (pesticide residues; heavy metals; mycotoxins).

Exercises on: - screening techniques among chemical risks; - quantitative risk assessment related to aflatoxin B1

2nd Training (2/2)

Outputs: - priorities among chemical food safety risk established

based on a screening approach ; - risk related to aflatoxin B1 in a number of contributing

commodities assessed

Outstanding questions: - New notions requiring to “play” with big excel files;

requires some familiarity with the software; integrate calculation mechanisms as “automatisms”

- Locate sources of reliable data ( toxicological, contamination…)

3nd Training (1/2) Aim of training session:- explore the issue of Salmonella in chicken- can we do

a risk assessment?

Preparation prior to course: - data collection using the exercises of course 1

Exercises on: - building a risk profile, using a range of literature

provided; - perform a qualitative risk assessment about

salmonella in chicken, based on the data collected

3nd Training (2/2)

Outputs: - Qualitative RA for Salmonella in chicken; - Risk profile for Salmonella in chicken (to be

complemented and further expanded)

Outstanding questions: - Beyond data access, data quality? and what it can be used

for ( e.g. depending on sampling strategies)- Increase specificity of data collected routinely (as the

purpose is now better identified)- Interdependency between food monitoring and public

health/surveillance data ( extreme weakness of FBD surveillance system) for risk assessment

4th Training (1/2)

Aim of training session:- defining maximum limits (ML) or MRL and - measuring their impact

Preparation prior to course: meet regularly as a group to:

- complete screening exercises on all compounds, - complete qualitative risk assessment exercise for

AFB1 for all regions of Mali; - search for specific information on

JECFA/FAO/WHO websites for proposed substances

4th Training (2/2)

Exercises:- set up ALARA and public health ML for AFB1 in rice; - MRL for a vet drug for cattle - MRL for an insecticide on sorghum

Outcome: - practical understanding of the interrelationships between

risk assessment calculations and set up of ML; - details of calculations using distributions of consumption

Outstanding issue: - Excel… - integrating these complex calculation dynamics into the “daily”

practice

5th Training ( 1/2)

Aim of training session: - Monitoring programmes: conceptual basis and use

(including on sampling approaches). - Particular example of Total Diet Studies.

Preparation prior to course:- revise and practice notions in relation to setting up ML/MRL

(regular group meetings for exercises).

5th Training ( 2/2)Exercises on:- Use of the TDS results (fictional) to identify issues;- perform a Quantitative RA on 2 FS issues (heavy metals

and DON); - Identification of an array of risk management approaches

(including monitoring programmes) and discussion of communication needs

Outcome: - wider awareness (more stakeholders)/more specific of the

upcoming results of regional TDS- better use of these to target risk management activities

Outstanding issue: - Establishment of microbiological criteria using the CCFH

metrics…

6th Training (1/2)

Aim of training session: Experience and practice risk communication principles

Exercises on: - assess impact factors on the risk communication

messages; - Define messages according to targets; - Build a communication plan, - Practice a specific tool: press release

6th Training (2/2)

Outputs: • construction of a step by step approach in 2 different

situations: - a “crisis” ( microbiological issue) - and a long term, silent issue (selected chemical issues);

• connection to risk management approaches ( i.e. non regulatory approaches).

Outstanding issue: need to further strengthen other stakeholders ( consumer’s associations; private sector…)

7th Training (1/2)

Aim of training session: use a multifactor approach to support risk management

Preparation prior to course:- build a risk profile for gossypol in cotton oil; - prepare fact sheets based on FERG/Uganda study for 3

issues ( brucellosis in milk; acute diarrhea in children<5 years and AF in maize)

7th Training (2/2)

Exercises on: applying the method to risk prioritization and comparing different risk management approaches

Outcome: closing the loop – link back to training n. 1- wider understanding of factors that can be included in the

analysis from risk ranking to risk prioritization- Practical use of risk profiles as a risk management tool,

source of information; sources of reliable information.

Lessons learnt- In time with our own publication/production (e.g. use of

multifactor analysis; risk ranking; risk communication) –thanks to all colleagues involved!

- Identified need for development of more specific training supporting material (ex. workbook on setting up limits; further work on sampling issues…

- Important to invest in building exercises, scenarios and examples in local context; test the exercises first!

- Repetitions critical to allow further question to come up; allow habits to grow…

- Due to political circumstances Government could proceed with specific data collection campaigns as initially planned –would have been a learning experience too (planning and logistics; data collection challenges and quality assurance…)

One major outcome of the project: Experiencing multidispicplinarity

An unintended, unexpected outcome connected to our project…

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A FOOD SAFETY TECHNICAL NETWORK (FSTN) WEBINAR/SEMINAR – 23 JANUARY 2017