Food and Feed Safety Assessment: The Importance of Proper Sampling

Abstract

Abstract The general principles for safety and nutritional evaluation of foods and feed and the potential health risks associated with hazardous compounds are described as developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and further elaborated in the European Union-funded project Safe Foods. We underline the crucial roleof sampling in foods/feed safety assessment. High quality sampling should always be applied to ensure the use of adequate and representative samples as testmaterials for hazard identification, toxicologicaland nutritional characterization of identified hazards, as well as for estimating quantitative and reliable exposure levels of foods/feed or related compoundsof concern for humans and animals. The importance ofrepresentative sampling is emphasized through examples of risk analyses in different areas of foods/feedproduction. The Theory of Sampling (TOS) is recognized as the only framework within which to ensure accuracy and precision of all sampling steps involved inthe field-to-fork continuum, which is crucial to monitor foods and feed safety. Therefore, TOS mustbe integrated in the well-established FAO/WHO risk assessment approach in order to guarantee a transparent and correct frame for the risk assessment and decisionmaking process.