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International BfR training with record number of registrations

36/2021, 16.08.2021

Around 600 experts located around the world meet virtually at the 9th BfR-Summer Academy on food safety

Due to the pandemic, the 9^th BfR-Summer Academy of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment will take place this year for the first time as a series of online lectures – and has set a new record for the number of registrations in its almost ten-year history. Around 600 scientists from 70 countries will be working on the topics of risk assessment and communication in the field of food safety in Germany and Europe from August 16 to 27. “Digitally, we reach and connect with so many professionals than ever before with our advanced training,” says BfR-President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. As they disseminate their knowledge within their own countries, they are helping to make globally traded food safer and to strengthen consumer protection worldwide. 

Further information on the 9^th BfR-Summer Academy:

• https://www.bfr-akademie.de/english/bsa-2021.html

The 610 participating experts come from 70 countries, including over 20 European countries, as well as New Zealand, Australia, Jordan, Sudan, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Thailand, China, India, Japan and South Korea. Most of them deal professionally with food and related risk assessments and mostly come from the disciplines of biology, chemistry and toxicology.

In addition to BfR experts, speakers from the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the Chilean Agency for Food Safety and Quality (ACHIPIA) will also share their knowledge. The presentations cover the assessment of microbial and chemical risks in food, among other topics. The aim is for the participants to develop a sound understanding of the requirements for data generation and collection.

The 9^th BfR-Summer Academy is intended to help spread the European system of risk assessment worldwide and to harmonise standards. The quantity and variety of imported and exported food and feed is increasing globally, this means that the requirements for scientific assessment and communication of potential risks are also increasing. The high European standards, regulations and knowledge of the quality, safety and hygiene of food are of great interest to many countries when it comes to making globally traded products safer.

The presentations will be given in English. This year there are two sessions – from August 16 to 20 and from August 23 to 27, 2021 – at different times of the day so that participants from as many time zones as possible can connect.

The BfR-Summer Academy was launched in Berlin in 2012. Since then, the event has been hosted annually. On average, between 2012 and 2019, around 30 to 40 scientists from all over the world took part in the respective face-to-face events. The event in 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) in Germany. The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States ('Laender') on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.

This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.

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