Exploration of the construction of a food safety risk index evaluation system for chemical contaminants in fresh vegetables

Fresh vegetables, widely consumed agricultural products, have attracted considerable attention in food safety research, particularly on chemical contamination. Because vegetable-related risks are shaped by multiple interacting factors, this study develops a comprehensive risk evaluation index system and an associated composite calculation method for assessing food safety risks from chemical contamination in fresh vegetables. The Modified Delphi method was used to identify indicators at all levels. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was then applied to determine indicator weights, and an index calculation method was developed based on the comprehensive index method and the multiplicative synthesis method. Finally, this method was used to assess the risks of fresh vegetables in Guangzhou from 2017 to 2024. The final system comprises 5 primary indicators and 17 secondary indicators, and its scientific validity and reliability were confirmed. The empirical analysis showed that overall risk remained low over 2017-2024, and the total risk index was on an upward trend from 2017 to 2020, peaking in 2020. Among chemical categories, metallic elements, organophosphates and pyrethroids were the major contributors to total risk. Regarding vegetable varieties, leafy vegetables and fresh beans showed higher composite risk indices. The food safety risk index evaluation system developed in this study is scientifically grounded, feasible, and can serve as an effective tool for assessing the edible safety of fresh vegetables while providing new insights for food safety analysis.