Committees
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has established a scientific network of experts. In this context, committees have been set up to advise the Institute on the risk assessment of food, feed, chemicals, consumer products and other articles of daily use. With this expert network BfR bundles expertise on the highest scientific level for risk assessment and inputs it into international bodies. Furthermore, through the medium of the BfR Committees advice can be sought from an established network of experts not just in crisis situations. The Committees are assisted by BfR working groups.
The BfR Committees
- Consumer Products
- Assessment of Intoxications
- Biological Hazards
- Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Foods and Allergies
- Exposure Assessment and Standardisation
- Genetically Modified Food and Feed
- Hygiene
- Contaminants and Other Undesirable Substances in the Food Chain
- Cosmetics
- Food additives, Flavourings and Processing Aids
- Pesticides and their Residues
- Pharmacologically Active Substances and Veterinary Medicinal Products
- Wine and Fruit Juice Analyses
- Additives, Products and Substances Used in Animal Feed
Additional expert committees
- ZEBET Advisory Committee
- National Breastfeeding Committee
Appointment procedure
BfR has chosen a transparent procedure for the selection of the external experts to sit on the BfR Committees and issued a public call for applications by interested experts. The experts were selected by an appointing panel consisting of members of the BfR Scientific Research Council, the chair persons of the Senate Commissions on Food Safety and on Substances and Resources in Agriculture of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and a member of the Governing Board of the Senate of Federal Research Agencies.
At least 11 external, independent experts, each an outstanding expert in his/her respective field of science, are appointed to each BfR Committee. The appointed experts must hold a university degree, preferably at post-graduate level and have extensive professional experience in a relevant field of science. The experts were appointed for the period from 2008 to 2010.
