Das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

News

Risk assessment: Essential ingredient for greater food safety

The third Latin American and Caribbean Risk Assessment Symposium (LARAS) will take place from 10 to 12 December 2024.

Campylobacter: The diarrhoea pathogen is often found on poultry meat

Important questions and answers about Campylobacter and the disease caused by the bacteria are summarised below.

Usually harmless: potential risks of period products

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has collected and answered the most frequently asked questions about potential health risks of period products.

BfR Consumer Monitor: The majority of Germans are aware of the "sleep hormone" melatonin, but many are sceptical

The substance melatonin was a topic in the BfR Consumer Monitor for the first time.

Product Notifications and Poisonings

The Institute

The Institute was set up in November 2002 to strengthen consumer health protection. It is the scientific agency of the Federal Republic of Germany which is responsible for preparing expert reports and opinions on food and feed safety as well as on the safety of substances and products.

BfR endeavours to constantly undertake topical assessments of the risks associated with foods - be it from heavy metals, pesticide residues, toxic ingredients or the like (substance risks), be it from bacteria, viruses or fungi (microbial risks) or be it risks from novel technologies in food production (novel foods).

For health assessment the decisive factor is whether and, if so, on what scale consumers come into contact with the substances contained in the products and what health risks these might entail. This requires knowledge about the numerous substances, materials and their processing into various products.

Chemicals are encountered in almost all areas of daily life. That's why stiff requirements must be imposed to ensure the safe handling of chemicals. The proper handling of chemicals may not constitute a risk to the health of man or to the environment.