Integrated food safety indicator for proactive evaluation of foods - application to plant-based protein foods

Current food safety assessments lack a proactive approach informing decision-makers about the general safety status of foods. Using a semi-quantitative framework, this study developed an integrated food safety indicator to evaluate the overall safety of a single food a priori, by combining evidence on the presence of chemical contaminants, microbial hazards, and allergenic potential. Each component is computed by specific indicators and sub-indicators. The methodology was applied to a case study where we compared plant-based and animal-based protein foods. Results showed that alternative protein foods have lower food safety implications than traditional ones. Having a single measure of food safety enables a better understanding of the safety status of a food and supports structured comparisons among foods. This provides actionable results to decision-makers to set priorities towards foods. Eventually, this also fosters the integration of food safety considerations into broader decision-making settings.