Informe del Comité Científico de la Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (AESAN) sobre estrategias de identificación de riesgos emergentes alimentarios
- Montaña Cámara Hurtado
- Pilar Conchello Moreno
- Álvaro Daschner
- Ramón Estruch Riba
- Rosa María Giner Pons
- Elena González Fandos
- Susana Guix Arnau
- Ángeles Jos Gallego
- Jordi Mañes Vinuesa
- Olga Martín Belloso
- María Aránzazu Martínez Caballero
- José Alfredo Martínez Hernández
- Alfredo Palop Gómez
- David Rodríguez Lázaro
- Gaspar Ros Berruezo
- Carmen Rubio Armendáriz
- María José Ruiz Leal
- Jesús Ángel Santos Buelga
- Pau Talens Oliag
- Josep Antoni Tur Marí
ISSN: 1885-6586
Year of publication: 2019
Issue: 29
Pages: 19-42
Type: Article
More publications in: Revista del Comité Científico de la AESAN
Abstract
Emerging risks are those derived from a new hazard for which a significant exposure could be produced, or derived from an exposure and/or new or significantly increased susceptibility to a known hazard. Identifying these risks may be done using different information sources and tools, which may range from the analysis of the published scientific bibliography, even including what is known as grey literature (documents that are unedited or that are distributed by means of unconventional channels such as doctoral theses, conference proceedings, research reports, etc.), to the study of food alerts. The assessment of emerging risks is done by specialists in each area of expertise, but in identifying them they may use common tools in such a way that they may detect and characterise them more efficiently prior to their assessment. Therefore, given that Law 17/2011, on Food Safety and Nutrition, establishes a mandate for the Scientific Committee, regarding the identification of emerging food risks, the Section of Food Safety and Nutrition is asked to prepare a report about the applicable strategies for the identification of emerging food risks. Having as a base the definition of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regarding emerging risks it is important to identify if there is a new hazard to which we are exposed, or if a new exposure has come about, or if there has been an increase in the exposure of a known one. At the same time evaluating the increase in susceptibility to a known hazard. After reviewing the different possible strategies, the Scientific Committee considers the following to be useful: • Analysis of the scientific bibliography. For this the development or implementation of powerful data management systems and digital collaboration platforms is of use in order to manage the large quantity of available data and information. • Analysis of grey literature. Just as in the previous case, specific IT tools would be needed that allow for information of interest to be extracted. • Analysis of the alerts and the results of the official control programmes. These tools control those known risks and about which there is control legislation. They could be useful for detecting incremental exposure increases in the presence of some contaminant over time. • Analysis of the epidemiological monitoring systems, which would help detect increases in susceptibility or exposure. • Analysis of consumption trends. It would help detect exposure increases, provided that the methodology for collecting data is comparable between years. • Analysis of the information gathered from studies on the risk perception by the population. • Analysis of information provided by experts and researchers. It would be desirable to improve the collaboration of the scientific community with the national and international institutions and organisations.