ABSTRACT
The foundation for risk-based management of food safety is risk assessment. Without a sound assessment of the risks of foodborne illnesses—from chemicals, pathogens, or other biological agents—neither government nor industry can develop better approaches to preventing these potentially adverse health effects. This chapter examines the state of the art of chemical and microbial risk assessment, describing how two major food safety regulatory agencies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), assess these risks.
