Das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

News

Interview with risk researcher Hensel: “People are afraid that they are being slowly poisoned”

In an interview with the Tagesspiegel, BfR President Professor Dr Dr Andreas Hensel discusses the discrepancy between how health risks are perceived and how they are scientifically assessed.

Global Food Safety - BfR welcomes new ILRI Director

A delegation led by the new ILRI Director General, Professor Dr Appolinaire Djikeng, met with the BfR President Professor Dr Dr Andreas Hensel in Berlin for their inaugural visit to discuss possibilities for future cooperation.

Trial by fire: Extremely spicy food can be particularly harmful to children’s health

For many people, spicy food is a culinary delight. But for some, it is also an invitation to test one’s limits. Chilli plays a big part in this.

Dangerous chemical burns in the throat: questions and answers about button cells

Button cells are small, flat batteries that are found in many devices: from wristwatches to remote controls and children’s toys. However, button cells can be dangerous for smaller children. In the past ten years, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has been notified by hospitals and poison information centresof several hundred cases of swallowed button cells.

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.