Italy
In December 2016 EFSA and BfR stepped into a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) to work jointly on the development, improvement and dissemination of global food safety tools. As outlined in the Specific Agreement #7 of this FPA one specific objective was to work towards the development of a fully operational online model repository that includes features to create, upload, download and execute models with user-defined inputs for the predefined model parameters. The user interface of the so-called FSK-Web model repository had to be designed such, that it is user-friendly and usable on various end-user devices and web browser software. The developed “FSK-Web 1.0” platform now even contains additional services, e.g. to link models with EFSA’s Knowledge Junction (KJ) or to join up to four models in a graphical user-interface (GUI) online. Detailed manuals, video tutorials and an online e-learning course were developed to support the use of the FSK-Web repository. A repository disclaimer and a model curation policy were drafted and will be released after being agreed with EFSA. The project created three key outcomes: (1) an operational curated web-based food safety model repository, and a significant number of executable QMRA models in FSKX format relevant for risk assessment; (2) improved usability and annotation of the various services offered by the FSK-Web model repository including manuals and online resources explaining the functionality and use of all aspects of the model repository; (3) provision of the possibility to link different FSKX models to create new combined models, including the option to combine models programmed in different scripting languages (also execution of combined R / Python models supported).
