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The focus of the department's work
is the health assessment of active
substances and formulations of plant
protection products and biocides be-
fore they are legally authorised. As-
sessment comprises evaluation of
toxicological properties with the aim
of classification and labelling, as well
as the derivation of limit values. Under
consideration of anticipated exposure
levels, risk assessments are carried
out in order to ensure safe use of the
products in question. It also reviews
residue monitoring methods and works
on the further development of assess-
ment strategies.
The department is involved with the
health risks to humans due in particu-
lar to microorganisms as well as the
toxins formed by these microorgan-
isms and other microbial metabolites.
The assessments encompass not
only food but also feed and consumer
products (e. g. food packaging mate-
rial and tableware), as well as cosmet-
ics – including the processes involved
in their extraction, production, pro-
cessing and distribution – as vehicles
of biological risk.
Biological Safety Department
Head: Professor Dr. Bernd Appel
The department assesses foods with
regard to the risk of the substances
they contain, which include natural
occurring ingredients, additives and
flavourings as well as undesired sub-
stances that find their way into foods
through production, storage or treat-
ment processes. In addition, nutritional
risks as well as the risks of particular
population groups are assessed. A
part of the assessment consists of ex-
perimental projects on the effect mech-
anisms of the oral intake (bioavailabili-
ty), internal exposure (biomarker) and
molecular effect mechanisms (toxico-
genomics) of relevant substances.
Food Safety Department
Head: Professor Dr. Dr. Alfonso Lampen
Pesticides Safety Department
Head: Dr. Roland Solecki
The department assesses chemi-
cal substances covered by chemi-
cals law and identifies measures to
reduce risks. A further task is the iden-
tification, investigation, assessment
and prevention of health risks emanat-
ing from cosmetics, tobacco products
and products with which the consum-
er comes into contact (food packag-
ings, toys, clothing etc). Experimental
projects on the migration of, exposure
to and toxicity of chemical substances
are an integral part of these assess-
ment activities.
Chemicals and Product Safety
Department
Head: Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Luch
The department assesses the risks
resulting from the intake of contami-
nants, residues and other undesired
substances from food and feed prod-
ucts. It houses the National Reference
Laboratories for Dioxins and PCBs in
Food and Feed, for Mycotoxins, for the
Monitoring of Marine Biotoxins and for
Additives for Animal Nutrition as well
as the Senior Expert Office for the Im-
port Control of Wine. Other areas of
main focus are product identity and
the traceability of food products.
Safety in the Food Chain
Department
Head: Dr. Monika Lahrssen-Wiederholt
The department performs tasks stipu-
lated by the German Animal Welfare
Act and the Animan Protection Experi-
ment Regulation. The scientific work
also serves to advise political decision
makers. Central tasks are the devel-
opment and validation of alternative
methods to animal experiments in line
with the 3R principle. The department
is also involved in the (further) devel-
opment of toxicological test methods
which include on a regulatory level the
Chemicals Programme of the Organi-
sation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
Experimental Toxicology and ZEBET
Department
Head: Professor Dr. Gilbert Schönfelder
About the BfR
