Strengthen global scientific exchange for food safety

Before food arrives on the shelves of our supermarkets and reaches the consumer, it has to pass through numerous stages, in many cases a very long journey indeed. The health risks involved and how to counter them is the topic of the 11^th BFR Summer Academy, which will take place in Berlin from 26 June to 7 July 2023. The 34 participants will focus on food safety – across borders. “Before certain foods reach our plates, they usually have to travel a long way – often through several countries” says Professor Dr Dr Andreas Hensel, President of the BfR. “ This makes international exchange and cooperation all the more important – and these are exactly the goals of the 11^th BfR Summer Academy,” as food safety requires competent partners.

• https://www.bfr-akademie.de/english/events/bsa-2023.html

• https://www.bfr-akademie.de/media/ wysiwyg/2023/BSA_2023/Flyer_Summer_Academy_2023.pdf

Experts from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) will discuss aspects of risk assessment and communication under the motto “from experts to experts”. The training is aimed at employees of public organisations working in the field of food and feed safety.  However, participants should already have experience in health risk analysis.

The first part of the course/workshop/training covers, the basics of risk assessment and communication as well as insights into the German and European legal framework. The participants should be able to assess the extent and significance of a health risk and communicate it in an understandable way. Furthermore, the agenda also includes workshops on exposure assessment, microbiological and chemical risks and risk communication.

This year, the training will once again take place in Berlin, after having been held online for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BfR Summer Academy has been organised since 2012. To date, more than 1,000 scientists from over 70 different countries have participated in the training course.

One of the aims of the BfR Summer Academy is to disseminate the European system of health risk assessment worldwide and to standardise it internationally. This is based on the knowledge that most countries import and export food and animal feed globally. At the same time, the diversity of food products within international product chains is constantly increasing, placing greater demands on the scientific assessment and communication of health risks. Europe’s high standards, regulations and knowledge of food quality, safety and hygiene are therefore of particular importance.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the business unit of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The BfR advises the Federal Government and the German federal states (“Laender”) on questions of food, chemicals, and product safety. The BfR conducts independent research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.