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Unit Residue Assessment of Pesticides and Biocides

Pesticide residues in food and feed frequently attract the attention of the public at large. One of the fundamental tasks of BfR is to guarantee consumer safety by means of the scientifically sound risk assessment of pesticide residues in food and this work is done by Unit 66.

The Unit is responsible for examining and assessing documentation on the residue behaviour of active pesticide substances and biocide products in foods of plant and animal origin and in feed pursuant to the Plant Protection Act and Directive 91/414/EEC and pursuant to the Chemicals Act and Directive 98/08/EC. This includes assessments of the metabolism of plants and livestock, supervised field tests, reproductions, behaviour of substances during processing and carry over of residues from feed to food of animal origin as well as the validation and recording of residue test results in official databases.

On this basis proposals are drawn up for maximum residue levels as binding statutory standards. The final step involves assessing possible health risks to consumers from residues. To this end, scientific opinions on food safety and consumer protection are prepared which look at the long-term and short-term intake of pesticide residues from the angle of their impact on human health.

The Unit also provides scientific advice for the federal government when it comes to national and European legislation concerning the setting of maximum residue levels for active pesticide and biocide substances.

It also represents BfR in national bodies and international organisations (FAO, WHO, EFSA and OECD).

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