The project had impact on measures to improve the quality of life and health by identifying better and more reliable ways in which food safety can be assured for the population as a whole and for particular "at risk" sub-groups.
By facilitating harmonisation of the principles and practices in risk assessment, the project contributed to the principle of subsidiarity by ensuring that risk assessment performed by one competent authority in the Union are likely to be agreed by other member states e.g. in the process of evaluation of novel foods.
Consumer confidence in the risk assessment process would be enhanced if there was greater agreement among those involved in the risk assessment process about the nature and extent of the data required and a clearer direction to the risk managers about the nature of the hazard and quantitative estimates of risk.
There was benefits to industry from the development of a harmonised approach to risk assessment since a clearer understanding of data requirements facilitated the developments of new food sources, ingredients or products without unnecessary testing but while still providing adequate provision of safety.
By ensuring that the risk assessment processes are more appropriately targeted in relation to the nature and magnitude of the risk, scarce scientific resources will be used most effectively and economically without degrading the level of safety assurance delivered to the consumer.
Finally, improved understanding of the potential of in vitro tests in the risk assessment procedures should provide better insights into the mechanisms of toxicity and their relevance for humans while minimising the use of animals and the associated ethical questions.