Food Safety and Toxicology

Food safety assessments apply the principles of chemical risk assessment to identify and characterize potential harmful effects of chemicals on human, animal and environmental health. The current risk assessment paradigm for chemicals, which was developed around 1950, focuses on the identification and characterization of critical effects derived from animal studies. Since such effects typically are apical ones that are considered both relevant and adverse for humans, they serve as Reference Points or Point of Departure to establish human Health Based Guidance Values (HBGV), such as the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) or the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI). However, new toxicological approaches (the so-called New Approach Methodologies, NAMs) are currently under development, which offer alternative means to carry out chemical risk assessments. This chapter explores how NAMs can provide a better scientific understanding of mechanisms behind observed/predicted toxic effects and their impact on human health, and help to minimize animal testing in line with the 3R principles. In addition, future challenges are addressed together with the need to integrate environmental considerations in the current human health focused vision with. In this respect, connections between food safety, the One Health concept and sustainable food production are highlighted, so as to produce safe and nutritious food in the most equitable way, without putting further undue pressure on the environment.