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In what quantities do we ingest undesired substances on average through our food? Are certain
foods more contaminated than others? And what health effects does the preparation method
have on the food?
Total Diet Studies – TDS for short – help to answer these and other
questions. TDS is the name given to an international method which
determines in which concentrations substances are contained in
ready-to-eat foods. These can comprise beneficial as well as harmful
substances. Developed in the USA in the mid-20th century, more than
50 countries have conducted their own total diet studies in the mean-
time. The first total diet study for Germany was launched in 2015. The
BfR was commissioned to do so by the Federal Ministry of Food and
Agriculture (BMEL).
The first German total diet study is called the BfR MEAL Study and is
scheduled to run for a total of seven years. For the first time in Ger-
many, foods are being analysed systematically and representatively in
ready-to-eat condition, i.e. prepared in the manner in which they are
normally eaten. A separate kitchen is being built for this purpose at the
BfR location in Alt-Marienfelde. Five scientists and a documentation as-
sistant have been working on the study up to now and additional jobs
are planned. The BMEL funded the study in 2015 to the tune of almost a
million euros. Over the entire duration of the study, the BMEL will prob-
ably spend a total of approx. 10 million euros for our partners involved
in the project.
What's in your food –
the BfR MEAL Study
>>
The BfR MEAL Study is the most comprehensive
total diet study worldwide with regard to both the number
of foods examined as well as the number of substances.
Main Topics 2015
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BfR MEAL Study