Key issues in exposure assessment and risk characterization of chemical contaminants in food

Exposure assessment is the third step in food safety risk assessment, in which the dietary intake of chemical substances is estimated. The health risk of that intake is then evaluated in the risk characterization, where intake is compared with a Health Based Guidance Value. When the dietary intake is equal to or below the HBGV, there is no health concern. To estimate dietary intake, the exposure assessor needs consumption quantities of the foods and the concentration of substances in these foods. A HBGV of the substance is needed for the risk characterization. Data on exposure and HBGVs come from public sources, or from studies of the national food safety authorities. A closer look into existing assessments reveals that various issues exist, that complicate exposure assessment calculations and its interpretation. In this chapter, many of these issues are identified and addressed; some solutions and recommendations are included at the end.