Das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

News

German-Tunisian cooperation in consumer protection

As part of a project to strengthen food safety and consumer health protection in Tunisia, the two Tunisian food safety authorities visit the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL).

"PARC": EU research partnership on chemical risk assessment launches

The "PARC" initiative of the European Union (EU), launched in Paris on 11 May 2022, is breaking new ground in the assessment of chemical substances. For Germany, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) take on leading roles as work package leads.

BfR-Corona-Monitor - as to 10 - 12 May

The warm temperatures and decreasing incidence rates are luring more people out of their homes again. In the current survey, the proportion of people who said that they had met friends or family less frequently or left their homes less frequently to protect themselves from an infection with the coronavirus has fallen to around one third each.

Recommendations for the hygienic preparation of powdered infant formula

The BfR recommends preparing powdered infant formula only shortly before consumption. Boiled water should be used wherever possible when preparing formula for infants who are only a few months old.

US Sister Agency Food and Drug Administration Visits the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment

American and German federal institutions work together on important consumer health protection issues.

Product Notifications and Poisonings

The Institute

The Institute was set up in November 2002 to strengthen consumer health protection. It is the scientific agency of the Federal Republic of Germany which is responsible for preparing expert reports and opinions on food and feed safety as well as on the safety of substances and products.

BfR 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).

For health assessment the decisive factor is whether and, if so, on what scale consumers come into contact with the substances contained in the products and what health risks these might entail. This requires knowledge about the numerous substances, materials and their processing into various products.

Chemicals are encountered in almost all areas of daily life. That's why stiff requirements must be imposed to ensure the safe handling of chemicals. The proper handling of chemicals may not constitute a risk to the health of man or to the environment.