News from CRIS: Risk - Exploring the Risk Assessment Process

July 7, 2020

What is a risk assessment?

There are many types of risk evaluations. A full risk assessment takes into consideration a broad range of potential hazards, exposure points, benefits, and other variables before delivering a final safety assessment that includes an ingredient's real and potential risks.
 
Scientists take risk assessments seriously and use various research tactics, including data models, short and long-term animal research studies, and more to evaluate an ingredient and/or process for safety.
Before researchers can deliver the final safety assessment, they typically use a 4-step process to evaluate the risk:

1. Hazard Identification – looks at a compound to see if there is a potential to cause humans harm (1).
2. Dose Response Assessment – reflects the relationship between the dose of an ingredient and the effects in humans (1). This generates a safe use level.
3. Exposure Assessment – reflects the exposure to a quantity, frequency, and duration of a specific compound, taking into consideration the number and characteristics of the exposed population.
4. Risk Characterization – takes into consideration of the variables above and develops an estimation that reflects if humans will experience an impact from the compound.

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Read the entire blog post at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/risk-exploring-the-risk-assessment-process