Das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

News

Poisonous plants – how to protect yourself and what to do in case of poisoning?

The following questions and answers provide information on how frequently plant poisonings occur in Germany and what to do in the event of a suspected poisoning.

Laughing gas: a risky ‘party drug’

Capsules and cylinders containing laughing gas can now be purchased in many online shops, petrol stations and kiosks. They are officially sold for use in whipping cream. Yet, some people use laughing gas primarily as a ‘party drug’ because inhaling it causes hallucinations and euphoria.

Some portafilter espresso machines release too much lead

Following the discovery of quantities of lead released from portafilter espresso machines after the descaling process, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has drawn up questions and answers to inform consumers.

Pesticides and mineral oils in part-baked bread rolls: no need for concern

According to measurements carried out by a magazine, part-baked bread rolls available for purchase contain traces of plant protection product (PPP) residues and mineral oils. In this context, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) wishes to clarify that detection of residues in foods does not necessarily constitute a health risk for consumers.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD): questions and answers

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease in cloven-hoofed animals. The FMD virus is not hazardous to humans. On 10 January 2025, FMD was detected on a water buffalo farm in the district of Märkisch-Oderland in Brandenburg.

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.