Making a meal out of uncertainty

Abstract

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)’s prepared a guidance document on uncertainty (2015), and the lead article by Lofstedt and Bouder considers the implications the document raises for how scientists communicate the limiting factors in their scientific discoveries and insights to regulatory bodies and the public. The aim of this commentary is to echo and perhaps even amplify the sentiments of the lead article, which in essence recommends a cautionary approach to two issues: rolling out uncertainty analysis procedures across other European agencies, and making scientific uncertainties transparent for public consumption.