Food Safety Policy, Science, and Risk Assessment: Strengthening the Connection -- Copyright -- Contents -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Science as the Basis for Food Safety Policy -- GOOD SCIENCE: CRITICAL TO REGULATORY DECISION-MAKING -- STATUTORY AUTHORITY: DIFFERENCES AMONG AGENCIES -- ROLE OF THE JOINT INSTITUTE FOR FOOD SAFETY RESEARCH -- 3 Defining Incidents Leading to Changes in Food Safety Policy -- VEGETABLE SPROUTS -- MEAT AND POULTRY HAZARD ANALYSIS CRITICAL CONTROL POINTS -- ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 AND LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES -- Escherichia coli O157:H7 -- Listeria monocytogenes -- Lessons Learned -- 1996 FOOD QUALITY PROTECTION ACT -- 4 Other Factors Influencing the Development of Food Safety Policy -- INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS -- REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS -- BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS -- CONSUMER CONSIDERATIONS -- POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS -- 5 Using Science-Based Risk Assessment to Develop Food Safety Policy -- HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW OF STEPS IN THE PROCESS -- PROMISE AND PITFALLS OF RISK ASSESSMENT -- USING RISK ASSESSMENT TO ESTABLISH FOOD SAFETY POLICY: SALMONELLA ENTERIDITIS -- RISK COMMUNICATION: DEFINING A TOLERABLE LEVEL OF RISK -- JOINT FAO/WHO CONSULTATION ON RISK ASSESSMENT OF MICROBIOLOGICAL HAZARDS IN FOOD -- 6 Overview -- WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? -- Appendix A Workshop Agenda -- Appendix B Workshop Participants.