What's in our food? The science in our cooking pots
In what quantities do we ingest desirable and undesirable substances? Which health effects are associated with the method of preparation? At the International Green Week (IGW) in Berlin, experts from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) will be answering these questions at the BfR booth no. 117 in hall 3.2. Here, the focus will be on the BfR MEAL study (meals for exposure assessment and analysis of food). Its aim is to examine the average concentrations of substances contained in food. Visitors to the IGW can experience the individual phases of the study analogically, digitally and even on a smoothie bike. The culinary highlight will be a live cooking show with TV chef Tino Schmidt. "The BfR MEAL study examines food as it appears on your dinner plate at home" says Professor Dr Dr Andreas Hensel, President of the BfR. "We explain the process and the aim of the study and reveal what you should pay attention to when preparing food."
At the BfR booth, visitors to the fair can talk to MEAL researchers about healthy nutrition. In regular live cooking shows, TV chef Tino Schmidt will point out the most important things to remember when preparing food. Afterwards, IGW visitors can see for themselves just how good healthy food tastes. In addition, the various phases of the BfR MEAL study will be presented interactively. In this way, visitors can follow all each phase of the study.
Visitors to the BfR booth are invited to visit the study kitchen for themselves and to interactively explore it with VR glasses. A touch-screen quiz provides playful information about the study, while XXL graphics give a vividly and succinct summary of the results.
The smoothie bike requires a special effort. Here, it’s a matter of pedalling to keep the immersion blender in motion. By using their own muscle power, visitors to the fair - both young and old - can earn themselves a fresh smoothie. Within the study, homogenisation works in a similar way to pureeing. The participants will learn directly what each phase of the study is about.
The BfR MEAL study is the first study in Germany to determine the average substance concentrations in food on a large scale. It takes into account more than 90% of the foods most commonly consumed in Germany and analyses them as they are typically eaten as prepared meals. Among other things, the results serve as a basis for better identifying possible health risks of food. Further information on the study can be found on the BfR website:
The BfR stand is located in hall 3.2 "ErlebnisBauernhof", no. 117.
The International Green Week will take place in Berlin from 20 to 29 January 2023.
Additional Information:
About the BfR
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the German 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.
This text version is a translation of the original German text which is the only legally binding version.