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Food Safety Management 315

10.4 Risk Analysis
It is clear that risk analysis has gained international support as a pro-
cess to assist in ensuring global trade in safe food. It provides a struc-
tured framework for guiding policy makers and assisting in decision
making. The CAC (1999) provides a structured approach for risk
analysis and describes the process as comprising of three intercon-
nected components: risk management, risk communication, and risk
assessment. The integration of the different stages is highlighted in
Fig. 10.2.
Risk management is the process of making an informed decision
as to whether a risk is acceptable or not, and, if not, what risk reduc-
tion measures can be employed to reduce or prevent risk. Risk com-
munication refers to the interaction between risk assessors, risk
managers, and stakeholders; this interaction is essential in order to
establish clear objectives for risk assessment to answer and to ensure
that both sides are clear on the risk question to be addressed in the
analysis (Hugas et al. 2007). Risk assessment is defined as “the quali-
tative or quantitative estimation of the likelihood of adverse effects
from exposure to specified health hazards or from the absence of ben-
eficial influences” (Hathaway et al. 1988). The North American Free
Trade Agreement (NAFTA) defines risk assessment as “an evaluation
of the potential for the introduction, establishment or spread of a pest
or disease and associated biological and economic consequences”
(NAFTA 1993). By quantifying the possible hazards or risks associated
with a product/action, the safety of the product may be ascertained.
Risk can be defined as the mathematical expression of a potential
harmful event (hazard), measured by the likelihood of its occurrence.

Risk analysis

Risk Risk
management assessment

Risk
communication

FIGURE 10.2 Components of risk analysis.