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About the BfR
The department assesses chemical
substances covered by chemicals
law and identifies measures to reduce
risks. A further task is the identifica-
tion, investigation, assessment and
prevention of health risks emanating
from cosmetics, tobacco products
and consumer products (e. g. food
packagings, toys, clothing etc). Ex-
perimental projects on the migration
of, exposure to and toxicity of chem-
ical substances are an integral part of
these assessment activities.
Chemical and Product Safety
Department
Head: Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Luch
The department assesses the risks
resulting from the intake of contami-
nants, residues and other undesired
substances from food and feed prod-
ucts. It houses the national reference
laboratories for dioxins and PCBs
in food and feed, for mycotoxins, for
marine biotoxins and for additives in
animal feed as well as the Senior Ex-
pert Office for the Import Control of
Wine. Other areas of main focus are
product identity and the traceability of
food products.
Safety in the Food Chain
Department
Head: Dr. Monika Lahrssen-Wiederholt
The department performs tasks stipu-
lated by the Animal Welfare Act and
regulations on the protection of ani-
mals used in experiments. The scien-
tific work also serves to advise political
decision makers. Central tasks are the
development and validation of alterna-
tive methods to animal experiments in
line with the 3R principle. The depart-
ment is also involved with the (further)
development of toxicological test
methods which include on a regulatory
level the chemicals programme of the
Organisation for Economic Coopera-
tion and Development (OECD).
Experimental Toxicology and ZEBET
Department
Head: Professor Dr. Gilbert Schönfelder
From top left to bottom right: Prof. Dr. Gilbert Schönfelder, Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel,
Dr. Roland Solecki, Dr. Monika Lahrssen-Wiederholt, Prof. Dr. Dr. Alfonso Lampen,
Prof. Dr. Bernd Appel, Prof. Dr. Matthias Greiner, PD Dr. Gaby-Fleur Böl, Heike Morisse,
Prof. Dr. Reiner Wittkowski, Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Luch