Glossary

A family of nutritional substances that includes sugars, starches and fibres.

Cancer-causing property of a substance when an animal or human is exposed to it.

Health hazard resulting from exposure to a chemical; for example, irritation, burns, carcinogenicity.

Mixtures of substances in which each chemical may have a separate identifiable effect on the body and/or a combined effect.

Tiny amounts of chemicals found in foodstuffs which have been exposed to pesticides, environmental toxins or related products.

A long-term constant or intermittent exposure to a substance which may have an impact on health over time.

An approach that modifies the genetic material of an organism with a sequence from a donor from the same species or one closely related.

Genetically-conferred resistance in an organism (e.g. the resistance of a plant to a disease) that results from two or more linked genes being passed down the generations.

Required in law, an assessment designed to compare the safety of a genetically modified (GM) organism against its non-GM bred counterpart.

The period when complementary foods are given to an infant together with either breast milk or formula or both.

Spoon-fed pureed foods, spoon-fed lumpy foods or finger foods, either prepared at home or produced commercially.

‘Complete susceptibility’ or ‘zero resistance’ – is technically defined as susceptibility to all antimicrobial groups included in harmonised panels of antimicrobials addressed within the framework of a monitoring

A statistical term to describe a range within a distribution where you would expect most of the data to lie; for example, expecting that 95% of adults will be between 1.4m and 1.9m tall.

An estimate that tends to err on the side of caution or gives a 'worst case scenario'. Often used in risk assessment to ensure that as much risk as possible is taken into account.

Any substance occurring in foodstuffs that was not added intentionally. Contaminants can arise from packaging, food processing and transportation, farming practices or the use of animal medicines. The term does not include contamination from insects or rodents.

A statistical term to describe the relationship between two variables (e.g. calcium intake and bone growth).

The adverse effect seen at the lowest dose when a vulnerable population is exposed to a substance such as an environmental or food toxin. This can relate to humans as well as to other species such as animals, plants or microbes.

The process by which microbes are unintentionally transferred from one substance or object to another, with harmful effect.

A situation where an allergic reaction to one substance also leads to an allergic reaction to another substance. This is usually because the allergens (e.g. peanuts and tree nuts) possess similar characteristics which trigger the body's immune defences.

Chemicals that are considered as a group because they are likely to act on the body in the same way.

A term used to describe how exposure to more than one chemical might affect the body. Used to explain long-term exposure to mixtures of chemicals, such as pesticides or additives.

A method of assessing risks to health or the environment posed by multiple substances such as chemicals.