Influence of psychological factors in food risk assessment - A review

•Food risk assessments do not take into account the psychological construction of risk.•Risk perceptions are based on psychological factors other than just probability of occurrence.•The basis of risk perceptions is largely similar for experts and non-experts.•12 factors which could potentially influence how risks are assessed and subsequently managed are identified.•Several recommendations to standardise approaches in risk assessment are proposed.•Risk analysis must acknowledge and work with the subjectivity of risk to ensure its efficacy.