Washington, USA, National Academie Press, 2003. — 424 pages.All bases for food safety criteria in foodstuffs. All pathogens are considered. A major step in advancing a science-based food safety system has been the implementation of HACCP in various sectors of the food industry. The efforts made by industry and regulators to this effect are commendable and should continue.
Regulatory agencies should follow a strategy that combines the best available data with the best expert judgment, as an appropriate, science-based means to establish food safety regulations. Scientific tools such as Microbiological Risk Assessment, Food Safety Objectives, and Statistical Process Control are available to regulators when developing and monitoring compliance with regulations.
Good science-based policies should allow flexibility and encourage innovation with minimal regulatory revisions. This implies a regulatory framework that specifies results, but not the methods used to achieve these results. It also implies flexible criteria that can be efficiently changed in response to changing public
health goals.
