2. FSTN Webinar series
Example and lessons learnt from a TCP in Mali
Practical approach to food safety
risk analysis training
3. Background and initial reflexions
Mali:
- invested a lot in a more active participation in Codex
work;
- good awareness of importance of risk analysis
But difficulties in:
- Integrating it as part of the food control activities; “theory”
versus “practice”
- Getting the necessary data to develop any component of the
risk analysis framework
4. Initially agreed principles for
developing the training approach
- Practical training sessions – acknowledgment that
- This takes time – repeat until a habit
- Need to build exercises (much longer that to develop presentations)
- 2/3 of time dedicated to exercises- usually 4.5 days sessions
- Working as much as possible with real country data:
- More interest for participants
- Results from exercises of direct use to target food control activities
- National food safety authority commits to research specific areas as part of their food
control activities to provide the data to work on
- Build continuity:
- set up of a team, that would commit to follow entire course of project and
- form the platform for future risk analysis activities
- Continuity between training sessions ( slight overlap + exploring further in detail
issues as they appear)
- Start practicing between courses with specific research/preparation/follow up
6. 1st Training
Aim of training session:
- what is risk analysis in practice, in the “real world”?
- what are your food safety issues?
- how do you set up priorities?
- Supporting tools (risk profiles)?
Exercises on
- risk ranking;
- building tables and templates for subsequent data collection
(consumption data; contamination data; public health data)
Outputs: 2 food safety issues identified for further work
-salmonella in chicken and
- mycotoxins in cereals.
Outstanding questions: what data is needed? How to collect it?
7. 2nd Training (1/2)
Aim of training session:
- chemical risk assessment in practice, working on the issue of
aflatoxin contamination in cereals and other staple foods.
Preparation prior to course:
- Collection of information on contamination levels by different
compounds (pesticide residues; heavy metals;
mycotoxins).
Exercises on:
- screening techniques among chemical risks;
- quantitative risk assessment related to aflatoxin B1
8. 2nd Training (2/2)
Outputs:
- priorities among chemical food safety risk established
based on a screening approach ;
- risk related to aflatoxin B1 in a number of contributing
commodities assessed
Outstanding questions:
- New notions requiring to “play” with big excel files;
requires some familiarity with the software; integrate
calculation mechanisms as “automatisms”
- Locate sources of reliable data ( toxicological,
contamination…)
9. 3nd Training (1/2)
Aim of training session:
- explore the issue of Salmonella in chicken- can we do
a risk assessment?
Preparation prior to course:
- data collection using the exercises of course 1
Exercises on:
- building a risk profile, using a range of literature
provided;
- perform a qualitative risk assessment about
salmonella in chicken, based on the data collected
10. 3nd Training (2/2)
Outputs:
- Qualitative RA for Salmonella in chicken;
- Risk profile for Salmonella in chicken (to be
complemented and further expanded)
Outstanding questions:
- Beyond data access, data quality? and what it can be used
for ( e.g. depending on sampling strategies)
- Increase specificity of data collected routinely (as the
purpose is now better identified)
- Interdependency between food monitoring and public
health/surveillance data ( extreme weakness of FBD
surveillance system) for risk assessment
11. 4th Training (1/2)
Aim of training session:
- defining maximum limits (ML) or MRL and
- measuring their impact
Preparation prior to course: meet regularly as a group
to:
- complete screening exercises on all compounds,
- complete qualitative risk assessment exercise for
AFB1 for all regions of Mali;
- search for specific information on
JECFA/FAO/WHO websites for proposed
substances
12. 4th Training (2/2)
Exercises:
- set up ALARA and public health ML for AFB1 in rice;
- MRL for a vet drug for cattle
- MRL for an insecticide on sorghum
Outcome:
- practical understanding of the interrelationships between
risk assessment calculations and set up of ML;
- details of calculations using distributions of consumption
Outstanding issue:
- Excel…
- integrating these complex calculation dynamics into the “daily”
practice
13. 5th Training ( 1/2)
Aim of training session:
- Monitoring programmes: conceptual basis and use
(including on sampling approaches).
- Particular example of Total Diet Studies.
Preparation prior to course:
- revise and practice notions in relation to setting up ML/MRL
(regular group meetings for exercises).
14. 5th Training ( 2/2)
Exercises on:
- Use of the TDS results (fictional) to identify issues;
- perform a Quantitative RA on 2 FS issues (heavy metals
and DON);
- Identification of an array of risk management approaches
(including monitoring programmes) and discussion of
communication needs
Outcome:
- wider awareness (more stakeholders)/more specific of the
upcoming results of regional TDS
- better use of these to target risk management activities
Outstanding issue:
- Establishment of microbiological criteria using the CCFH
metrics…
15. 6th Training (1/2)
Aim of training session: Experience and practice risk
communication principles
Exercises on:
- assess impact factors on the risk communication
messages;
- Define messages according to targets;
- Build a communication plan,
- Practice a specific tool: press release
16. 6th Training (2/2)
Outputs:
• construction of a step by step approach in 2 different
situations:
- a “crisis” ( microbiological issue)
- and a long term, silent issue (selected chemical issues);
• connection to risk management approaches ( i.e. non
regulatory approaches).
Outstanding issue: need to further strengthen other
stakeholders ( consumer’s associations; private sector…)
17. 7th Training (1/2)
Aim of training session: use a multifactor approach to
support risk management
Preparation prior to course:
- build a risk profile for gossypol in cotton oil;
- prepare fact sheets based on FERG/Uganda study for 3
issues ( brucellosis in milk; acute diarrhea in children<5
years and AF in maize)
18. 7th Training (2/2)
Exercises on: applying the method to risk prioritization and
comparing different risk management approaches
Outcome: closing the loop – link back to training n. 1
- wider understanding of factors that can be included in the
analysis from risk ranking to risk prioritization
- Practical use of risk profiles as a risk management tool,
source of information; sources of reliable information.
19. Lessons learnt
- In time with our own publication/production (e.g. use of
multifactor analysis; risk ranking; risk communication) –
thanks to all colleagues involved!
- Identified need for development of more specific training
supporting material (ex. workbook on setting up limits;
further work on sampling issues…
- Important to invest in building exercises, scenarios and
examples in local context; test the exercises first!
- Repetitions critical to allow further question to come up; allow
habits to grow…
- Due to political circumstances Government could proceed with
specific data collection campaigns as initially planned –
would have been a learning experience too (planning and
logistics; data collection challenges and quality
assurance…)