Health assessment of special food groups

The BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment assesses the health risks that are caused by the intake of nutrients and other substances that are ingested via ordinary foods, including food supplements and fortified foods, or via dietary, novel and genetically modified foods.

Hand that are holding soy beans
Copyright Mny-Jhee/AdobeStock

Special food groups classified:

  • Fortified food

    Fortified foods are foods to which certain nutrients or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect have been added so that the quantities of these substances are significantly higher than those that occur naturally in the food in question.

  • Novel Food

    The term "novel foods" is defined in Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 (Novel Food regulation), repealing Regulations (EC) 258/97 and (EC) 1852/2001.

  • Genetically modified food and feed

    The approval procedure as layed down in Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed requires a safety assessment by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority).

BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (former BgVV) 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). Although the cause of BSE diseases has not been clarified with any degree of certainty, we are classifying them until further notice as microbial risks.

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