use of pesticides and disinfectants (Keane, 1972; Bellar et al.,
1974), while the benefits and risks of human vaccination and use
of antibiotics in food-animals have also been a topic of debate
(Howson and Fineberg, 1992; Casewell et al., 2003). The use of benefit–risk
analysis for the management of microbial hazards, by
assessing the balance of risks and benefits in a systematic manner
using composite metrics, is however a new field of research and to
date a very limited number of studies have been performed.