As part of the Webinar Series on Risk Communication, PARC will host a webinar on Communicating science for food safety – evidence, uncertainty and emerging challenges which will take place online, via Zoom on 11 December 2026, from 15:00 to 16:00 CET. The session will be led by Vittorio Fattori, and Catherine Bessy -  Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division ↗ of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations ↗ (FAO).

What to expect:

Focusing on the relationship between science and risk analysis in food safety, this webinar builds on the recent article Science and Communication as the Foundation of Food Safety ↗. It will consider how scientific evidence underpins risk-based decision-making and why the needs of regulatory science are not always fully met by the wider scientific evidence base, particularly in relation to data availability, quality, uncertainty and weight of evidence. Emerging food safety issues and the role of foresight in anticipating future challenges and knowledge needs will also be discussed. A case study on the use of gut microbiome data in chemical risk assessment will illustrate these challenges in practice, highlighting lessons from FAO's work on synthesising available knowledge, identifying evidence gaps and bringing experts together to consider how scientific research can better support future food safety assessments.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

Understand the role of scientific information and risk communication within the risk analysis framework and their contribution to food safety decision-making.

Recognise key challenges in generating and communicating scientific information for regulatory purposes, particularly in the context of emerging issues, knowledge gaps and uncertainty.

Describe the challenges involved in translating evolving scientific knowledge into information that can support food safety risk assessment, with the practical example of using the gut microbiome data for chemical risk assessment. 

Who should attend:

This webinar is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including PARC partners and members of National Hubs, as well as professionals involved in food safety, chemical risk assessment, risk management and science communication. It will be of particular interest to risk assessors, researchers, regulators, policymakers, public authorities and others seeking to strengthen how scientific evidence supports food safety decision-making.

Practical details:

Participation in this webinar is free of charge. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Registered participants will receive the connection link after registration.

Application deadline:

The registration form will remain open until the maximum capacity of 500 participants is reached or until 8 December 2026, whichever comes first.

How to apply:

To participate, please complete the registration form here ↗.

Get informed about upcoming webinars on risk communication by following the PARC website and social media channels!