1. Introduction
In this contribution we will consider the role of information systems in developing effective food safety management protocols and, in particular, the role of databases in achieving this objective. Information systems are concerned with the capture, storage, analysis and retrieval of data providing the opportunity for the cumulative gathering of knowledge and the capability for more informed interpretation of the significance of new data collected to monitor or investigate natural phenomena.
In food safety management a well worn, but still highly illustrative, analogy introduced in 1994 is that of “Cole's Cliff” (Zwietering, 2002) which holds that increasing knowledge of process/product/pathogen combinations and associated variability decreases uncertainty in achieving a positive food safety outcome. Thus, food safety management practices may be positioned closer to the cliff face without decreasing the probability of achieving the desired objective or increasing the probability of a fail-dangerous event.