Assessment tools and resources

Scientific assessments often require the analysis of large amounts of data. Sophisticated modelling techniques are established alternative approaches when scientific data is lacking or non-existent.

EFSA’s scientists, statisticians and technical staff have developed and commissioned a range of tools to allow rapid processing of information, support consistent analysis and reporting of findings, and for predictive modelling.

The following resources are available for use by anyone involved in food and feed safety assessments (e.g. assessors, applicants, software developers).

Repositories and platforms

Knowledge Junction | Zenodo

The Knowledge Junction is a curated, open repository for the exchange of evidence and supporting materials used in food and feed safety risk assessments. It includes databases, models, reports, literature reviews, etc... Anyone can upload resources on Knowledge Junction following a few simple steps. Its aim is to improve transparency, reproducibility and evidence reuse.

EFSA R4EU

The EFSA R4EU platform hosts a suite of different modules with different functionalities for modelling commonly used in assessments by EFSA. Existing models include benchmark dose The minimum dose of a substance that produces a clear, low level health risk, usually in the range of a 1-10% change in a specific toxic effect such as cancer induction, multi-drug resistance analysis, risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation using Monte Carlo, risk-based surveillance systems, sample size calculator, exploratory analysis for spatio-temporal epidemiology The study of how often diseases and other health conditions occur in different groups of people and why. It includes the study of health-related measurements (e.g. pesticide exposure or vitamin deficiency) in a population and how they may influence the risk of ill health, food enzyme A protein which stimulates or hastens a specific reaction in the body; for example, digestive enzymes help to break down food into nutrients intake The amount of a substance (e.g. nutrient or chemical) that is ingested by a person or animal via the diet model and automatic abstract and full-text screening using machine learning. User manual

EFSA:API Developer Portal [beta]

The EFSA: API “developer portal” uses application programming interface (API) technology to make EFSA’s IT resources more accessible to software developers, allowing them to design creative new apps and tools for use by the food safety assessment community. Currently in beta version.

EFSA vector A carrier of a disease-causing agent from an infected individual to a non-infected individual or its food or environment; for example, mosquitoes carrying malaria parasites-borne disease map journals

The EFSA Vector-borne diseases map journals provides detailed maps and information for 36 vector borne diseases. This includes the disease agent, transmission, geographic distribution, potential vectors involved, impact on animal health and welfare, and available prevention and control measures.

Assessment calculation tools

EFSA One Health Whole Genome Sequencing Visualisation of the entire genetic makeup of a particular organism (WGS) System

The EFSA One Health WGS System is a platform designed for the collection and analysis of WGS based molecular typing A way of identifying specific strains of organisms by looking at their genetic material. Often used to characterise bacteria or viruses data on Salmonella, Listeriamonocytogenes and Escherichia coli in food and animals. Data are uploaded and accessible by competent authorities from the food safety sector of the EU Member States and EEA countries. The platform interacts with the equivalent ECDC data collection system.

Feed Additive Product intentionally added to animal feed to improve: i) the quality of the feeds ii) the quality of the food products obtained from animals; iii) animal performance and health Consumer Exposure Concentration or amount of a particular substance that is taken in by an individual, population or ecosystem in a specific frequency over a certain amount of time (FACE)

The FACE calculator estimates chronic and acute dietary exposure For the purposes of risk assessment, measurement of the amount of a substance consumed by a person or animal in their diet that is intentionally added or unintentionally present (e.g. a nutrient, additive or pesticide) to residues of feed additives and their metabolites present in food of animal origin.

Feed Additives Maximum Safe Concentration in Feed for Target Species A subdivision of the genus, a species is a group of closely related and similar-looking organisms; for example, in the case of Homo sapiens (humans), the second part of the name (sapiens) represents the species calculator (FACTS)

The FACTS tool estimates the maximum safe concentration of feed additives in feed for different animal categories and species.

Food Enzyme Intake Model (FEIM)

The FEIM tool estimates chronic dietary exposure to food enzymes used in food processes. It uses summary statistics on food consumption data collected from Member States.

Food Additives Intake Model 2.1 (FAIM)

The FAIM tool estimates chronic dietary exposure to food additives, including new food additives or authorised food additives for which a new use is proposed. Results are provided for different population Community of humans, animals or plants from the same species groups (e.g. infants, toddlers, adults, etc) and for different countries.

PRIMo and other pesticide Substance used to kill or control pests, including disease-carrying organisms and undesirable insects, animals and plants evaluation tools

Several pesticides-related calculation tools and models support assessors, managers and applicants on pesticide evaluations, including pesticide residues intake model (PRIMo), pesticide fate models, non-dietary (operator, worker, resident and bystander) exposure to pesticides, dermal absorption and risks for bees.

Rapid Assessment of Contaminant Any substance occurring in foodstuffs that was not added intentionally. Contaminants can arise from packaging, food processing and transportation, farming practices or the use of animal medicines. The term does not include contamination from insects or rodents Exposure (RACE)

The RACE tool provides estimates of different population groups’ acute and chronic exposure A long-term constant or intermittent exposure to a substance which may have an impact on health over time to chemical contaminants from single foods and compares the result to the health-based guidance value Guidance on safe consumption of substances that takes into account current safety data, uncertainties in these data, and the likely duration of consumption or other relevant toxicological reference points. See the full description with user manual (Appendix J). To register: servicedesk@efsa.europa.eu

EFSA held a webinar to explain the RACE methodology and describe how the tool can be used for rapid risk evaluation of contaminants in food. The presentation and recording are available here. 

Risk assessment for infectious diseases in animals (MINTRISK)

The Method for INTegrated RISK assessment for infectious diseases in animals allows the risk assessment of vector-borne diseases of livestock and pets. Developed by Wageningen BioVeterinary Research and Wageningen Economic Research, it has specific functions for assessments falling in ESFA’s remit.

Dietary Exposure (DietEx) tool

The Dietary Exposure (DietEX) tool estimates chronic dietary exposure to substances present in food (e.g. intentionally added or naturally present chemicals, contaminants, proteins, novel food Foodstuff or food ingredient that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Union before 15 May 1997 ingredients). Individual consumption data from the EFSA Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database are used to estimate the mean and the 95th percentile A way of visualising the low, medium and high occurrences of a measurement (e.g. vitamin C intake) by splitting the whole distribution into one hundred equal parts exposure for different age classes and special population groups throughout several EU countries.