Generally speaking, food safety risk assessment refers to the scientific assessment of how probable and risky for biological, chemical and physical hazards in food to cause adverse effects on human health, including four steps namely identifying the hazards in food (hazard identification), analysing the characteristics of hazards (hazard characterisation), estimating the intake of hazards by the population (exposure assessment), and analysing food risk characteristics (risk characterisation). Through the above steps, the risk levels of hazards in food or ingredients are analysed and assessed, and the possible risk levels to the public are determined, thus providing scientific basis and information for risk management planning and risk communication when formulating appropriate risk management measures and releasing information, in order to safeguard food safety and public health in Macao.
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Among them, information about hazard identification and hazard characterisation can generally be obtained based on the comprehensive analysis of the latest technical reports or reviews carried out by international authorities [including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), etc.] To this end, the Division of Risk Assessment of the Department of Food Safety of the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) sends personnel to attend various meetings of the International Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) as a Chinese delegation and exchange opinions with experts from various countries on the formulation of food safety standards to obtain the information about the latest technical reports, keeping Macao's food safety work in line with international standards. In regard to dietary exposure assessment, it requires comprehensive analysis by combining local food consumption data and data on concentrations of hazardous substances present in food. Therefore, the Division of Risk Assessment will carry out food consumption surveys as planned to collect local food consumption data and data on concentrations of food additives or hazardous substances for the purpose of risk assessment. For relevant details, please refer to the dedicated page of Food Consumption Data.

Moreover, in order to ensure the safety of the food imported to and sold in Macao, the Division of Risk Assessment will continue to collect, monitor and analyse food safety information such as food recalls in various regions on a daily basis. Relevant information can be found on the dedicated page of Food Safety Risk Monitoring and Information Release. Meanwhile, in order to optimise food safety supervision, further improve the legal basis for relevant supervision, and improve the hygiene and food safety levels in Macao, the Division of Risk Assessment timely formulates and publishes, and continuously updates food safety regulations and trade guidelines based on the technical reports from international authorities and the actual situation in Macao. Relevant standards and guidelines can be found on the dedicated page of Food Safety Standards and Trade Guidelines.

At the same time, the Division of Risk Assessment regularly carries out a series of targeted surveillance and in-depth surveys and other risk assessment studies, and tests the content of various food additives or hazardous substances in the food circulating in the Macao market to safeguard the safety of relevant food and the health of the public. The relevant information is published on the dedicated page of Food Safety Risk Assessment. Meanwhile, brief review of risks concerning topical food safety issues is be published regularly to communicate scientific information to the public.

In addition, the Division of Risk Assessment also assists in providing services such as e-mail updates to facilitate the Macao food trade and the public to obtain food safety information. For relevant details, please refer to the dedicated page of Electronic Information​.​