Decades at the intersection of food safety, epidemiology & public health
A senior scientist and independent consultant — translating complex evidence into guidance that risk managers and policymakers can act on.
Arie Havelaar is a senior scientist and independent consultant with decades of experience at the intersection of food safety, infectious disease epidemiology, and public health policy. His work spans the full range from fundamental risk assessment methodology to practical policy guidance — always with an emphasis on scientific rigour and real-world applicability.
Arie holds a MSc in Chemical Engineering, a PhD in Microbiology and a MSc in Epidemiology & Biostatistics. He has extensive work experience in the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and is Emeritus Professor at Utrecht University, the Netherlands and the University of Florida in the United States. He is also Honorary Professor at Haramaya University in Ethiopia.
His career has taken him from leading research roles in food safety and epidemiology to international advisory work with organisations including EFSA, WHO and FAO. Throughout, his focus has been on producing analysis that is not just technically sound, but genuinely useful to the people who need to act on it: risk managers, policymakers, and public health professionals.
Arie operates as an independent consultant, offering flexible expert support to a wide range of clients. He is based in Soest, the Netherlands, and works internationally through remote collaboration and short-term missions.
Where I focus
- Food safety risk assessment — microbial and chemical hazards
- Epidemiology and infectious disease analysis
- Burden of disease estimation (DALY-based approaches)
- Quantitative modelling and probabilistic analysis
- Study and project design
- Evidence synthesis and systematic review
- Scientific review and expert evaluation
- Technical report and guidance document writing
A track record across research, policy & practice
International risk assessment & policy guidance
Development of methodologies and sustained contributions to national and international food safety risk assessments, including work developed under the auspices of EFSA, WHO and FAO — both technical input and the translation of assessment outputs into normative guidance used by national authorities worldwide.
Burden of disease research
Extensive work on disease burden estimation using DALY-based frameworks, including the development and application of methodologies for foodborne illness. This work has informed global and national understanding of the public health impact of food safety hazards.
Training & capacity building
Two decades of experience teaching microbial risk assessment methods and their implementation to MSc and PhD students. Design and delivery of training programmes in risk assessment, epidemiology, and burden of disease methods across a wide range of settings — from intensive workshops at international organisations to multi-day capacity-building programmes for national agencies.
Scientific review & advisory roles
Participation in expert panels, advisory committees, and peer-review processes across food safety and public health, including evaluation of research proposals and technical reports for funders and regulatory bodies.
Transparent, well-founded, and genuinely useful
Scientific work should be transparent, well-founded, and genuinely useful. That means being clear about what the evidence supports and where uncertainty remains, rather than overstating conclusions. It also means understanding the practical context — who will use the results, and what decisions they need to make.
Arie works independently, which allows for honest and impartial input without institutional constraints. He collaborates flexibly within multidisciplinary teams, adapting to the needs and working culture of each client, and maintains a focus on the quality and clarity of every output.
Who I work with
Interested in working together?
To discuss a project, training, or advisory request.