Exposure is the starting point and a fundamental part of the risk assessment process. It is therefore key that any exposure estimates made use as much relevant information as possible, using robust assessment tools. Exposure estimations often require a ‘weight of evidence’ approach which may include: Dietary intake survey data, probabilistic modelling of dietary intake data, consideration of existing consumer exposure to a chemical ie how much more are we adding, consideration of bioavailability and consideration of aggregate exposure from multiple sources.
This presentation will describe the risk-based approaches which are used for the safety assessment of chemicals in food and beverages, together with an overview on exposure assessment approaches. A case study on the safety assessment approach for Fluoride contamination of tea, will illustrate the risk-based safety assessment approach and use of ‘weight of evidence’ exposure estimations as part of this approach.