Navigation und Service

BfR2GO: Consumer health protection "to go"

43/2017, 19.10.2017

Modern science magazine to complement the risk communication formats of the BfR

Which foods tend to be adulterated most frequently? How is it possible to reduce the number of animal experiments? What risks are associated with multiple residues in foods? These are questions that cannot be answered easily in a single sentence, but they can be adequately addressed in a magazine. From now on, the BfR is publishing a new format twice a year - "BfR2GO", which takes a look at topics in the area of consumer health protection. Each issue features a topical core theme from the working area of the BfR. "In the first issue, the core topic is the authenticity of food and feed. This is an area in which there are exciting developments in the fields of assessment and research", says BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. "Anyone who reads this magazine will gain insights into the research, assessment and communication of risks encountered in daily life."

Opinions, press releases, expert interviews, videos, scientific reports, info graphics and stakeholder forums are just some of the communication instruments that have been established during the 15 years since the BfR was set up. One of the key responsibilities of the BfR is to inform the public about possible risks to health. The three principles of the BfR - transparency, reliability and greatest possible degree of openness - are central to all the Institute's communication tools. These principles form the basis for fact-based societal discourse involving all stakeholders. In addition to communicating potential health risks, the BfR performs independent assessments and research that make an impartial contribution to ensuring the safety of food and feed, everyday products and chemicals. The BfR is continuing this tradition with its new BfR2GO science magazine.

Each issue of the BfR2GO science magazine features a topical core theme of the BfR. In the first issue, the core topic is the authenticity of food and feed, and the magazine outlines current developments in assessment and research in this area. Readers can therefore find out how food fingerprints are determined in the laboratory and obtain information on the research projects being carried out by the BfR in this field. There is also an interview with the Vice-President of the BfR explaining which foods are most often adulterated and outlining the health risks resulting from this deception.

Alongside the core topic, there are also reports, interviews and concise news features. The overall content is structured according to the working fields of the BfR, namely risk communication, food safety, product and chemicals safety, and the protection of laboratory animals. The first issue includes an info graphic on insects as food, a column entitled "Mail from Zambia", an interview on antimicrobial resistance, and a report on nanoparticles in functional wear. Readers can also learn how the choice of the appropriate animal model can help to reduce the number of animal experiments and read about the assessment of multiple residues of plant protection products or other substances.

The BfR2GO scientific magazine is published in German and English and is available on the BfR website at www.bfr.bund.de/en/publication/science_magazine__bfr2go_-202666.html, where it can be directly ordered or downloaded free of charge. Interested parties can register by e-mail for a free subscription to future issues of the magazine (publikationen@bfr.bund.de).

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. It advises the Federal Government and Federal Laender on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

The BfR is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the institute has published a jubilee brochure (in German) which can be downloaded or ordered free of charge at http://www.bfr.bund.de/en/publication/brochures-61045.html.

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

Up