The use of meta-analytical tools in risk assessment for food safety

This communication deals with the use of meta-analysis as a valuable tool for the synthesis of food safety research, and in quantitative risk assessment modelling. A common methodology for the conduction of meta-analysis (i.e., systematic review and data extraction, parameterisation of effect size,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food microbiology 2011-06, Vol.28 (4), p.823-827
Main Authors: Gonzales-Barron, Ursula, Butler, Francis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Chilling
Food industries
Food microbiology
Food Safety - methods
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Hygiene and safety
Meat - microbiology
Meta-analysis
Meta-Analysis as Topic
Pig
Pork
Risk assessment
Risk Assessment - methods
Salmonella
Salmonella - growth & development
Slaughter
Swine
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Summary:This communication deals with the use of meta-analysis as a valuable tool for the synthesis of food safety research, and in quantitative risk assessment modelling. A common methodology for the conduction of meta-analysis (i.e., systematic review and data extraction, parameterisation of effect size, estimation of overall effect size, assessment of heterogeneity, and presentation of results) is explained by reviewing two meta-analyses derived from separate sets of primary studies of Salmonella in pork. Integrating different primary studies, the first meta-analysis elucidated for the first time a relationship between the proportion of Salmonella-carrier slaughter pigs entering the slaughter lines and the resulting proportion of contaminated carcasses at the point of evisceration; finding that the individual studies on their own could not reveal. On the other hand, the second application showed that meta-analysis can be used to estimate the overall effect of a critical process stage (chilling) on the incidence of the pathogen under study. The derivation of a relationship between variables and a probabilistic distribution is illustrations of the valuable quantitative information synthesised by the meta-analytical tools, which can be incorporated in risk assessment modelling. Strengths and weaknesses of meta-analysis within the context of food safety are also discussed.
ISSN:0740-0020
1095-9998
DOI:10.1016/j.fm.2010.04.007