CAC/GL 63-2007 Principles and Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbiological Risk Management
INTRODUCTION
Diseases caused by foodborne microbial hazards1 constitute a world-wide public health concern. During the past several decades, the incidence of foodborne diseases has increased in many parts of the world. Foodborne threats occur for a number of reasons. These include microbial adaptation, changes in the food production systems, including new feeding practices, changes in animal husbandry, agronomic process and food technology, increase in international trade, susceptible populations and travel, change in lifestyle and consumers demands, changes in human demographics and behaviour. The globalisation of food markets has increased the challenge to manage these risks.
Effective management of risks arising from microbial hazards is technically complex. Food safety has been traditionally, and will continue to be, the responsibility of industry operating an array of control measures relating to the food hygiene within an overall regulatory framework. Recently, risk analysis, involving its component parts of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication, has been introduced as a new approach in evaluating and controlling microbial hazards to help protecting the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. It could also facilitate the judgement of equivalence of food safety control systems.
