Simon Flanagan
Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL)
UK
Title: Quantitative Allergen Risk Assessment
Biography
Biography: Simon Flanagan
Abstract
Against a backdrop of allergen labelling regulations that differ widely around the world, the issue of allergen management continues to present a big challenge for food producers. There is still a lot of uncertainty in the industry about how best to manage allergens, as evidenced by the fact that allergen-related issues still account for approximately 50% of all recalls in the US & UK. Undeclared allergens are increasingly becoming an issue in other EU member states as seen in the dramatic increase in RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Foods and Feeds) notifications sent out in 2009/13.
In order to protect allergic consumers from exposure to undeclared allergens, many food manufacturers have implemented allergen control programmes founded on risk assessment (using HACCP principles) & utilising prerequisite programmes. As there is currently no internationally agreed regulatory guidance with respect to the management of allergen cross-contamination or acceptable population based safe levels, this has lead to an inconsistency in risk assessment, mitigation and management systems. The speaker will cover the evolution of allergen risk assessment from a pure ‘hazard’ to a risk based ‘approach’ and describe new methodology which utilises data from the latest scientific studies.
