The Kitchen Sponge: A Microcosm—Bacterial Contamination Isn't Always Visible, Smellable, or Palpable

Pathogens also multiply there and can spread from that location

01-Jul-2026 - Conventional kitchen sponges (“dish sponges”) are not only teeming with numerous types of “common germs,” but pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella or Escherichia colican also be detected in them. These bacteria can colonize the sponges, multiply, and be transferred from there to other surfaces ...

Kitchen hygiene when handling eggs: Not just relevant at Easter

31-Mar-2026 - Salmonella and Campylobacter occur relatively frequently in nature. Despite strict controls, they therefore keep turning up in animal housing where eggs are produced. The laying hens themselves are often not even sick. However, they carry the relevant pathogens and sometimes pass them on to the ...

What is PFAS all about?

15-Jul-2024 - Per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFAS) are persistent industrially produced compounds that can accumulate in the environment and the body. Recently, they have increasingly become the subject of public debate due to potential health risks. Nevertheless, the majority of the population is not ...

Global standards in food safety: BfR Summer Academy

Over 700 participants from 72 countries learn and network

02-Jul-2024 - New foods land on supermarket shelves every day. Some of the products have come a long way. The variety of foods is constantly growing due to imports and exports, which also increases the requirements for scientific assessments and the communication of health risks. But how is the legal and ...

Why the BfR is shooting at gelatine or how the food safety of game meat can be guaranteed

24-Apr-2024 - What do soap and gelatine have to do with game meat? Quite a lot, at least at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): the substances help to make the consumption of game meat safe for consumers. As so-called test simulants, blocks of soap and gelatine are shot at with rifle ammunition in ...

Microplastics in food - many unanswered questions among scientists and the general public

More than half of the population is concerned about microplastics in food

24-Oct-2018 - Although overall 75 percent of the population regard food as safe, more and more Germans are showing concern about microplastics in food. As the latest BfR Consumer Monitor - a regular population survey conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) - shows, the topic is ...

Campylobacter – the germ on chicken eggs

04-Jun-2018 - The most important bacterial diarrhoea pathogen can be transmitted via eggshells – but protection is possible Eggs are a popular food. In fact, Germans consumed almost 20 billion of them in 2016, which equates to a per capita consumption of 235 eggs. It is therefore easy to understand why the ...

Kitchen hygiene in the spotlight: Do TV cooking shows influence our hygiene behaviour?

29-Jan-2018 - BfR presenting a research project on the topic of TV kitchen hygiene at International Green Week TV shows dealing with all aspects of cooking are popular. They not only convey knowledge and tasty recipes, they also have a high entertainment value. A research project at the Federal Institute for ...

Breakfast at the BfR - with certainty!

The BfR is providing information at International Green Week on the risks that can be concealed in food

20-Jan-2017 - The majority of people in Germany associate eating with enjoyment and regard food as safe. In several instance, consumers can also contribute in everyday situations to ensuring that foods do not become a health risk. Honey, tea, coffee, eggs, toast and cold cuts can contain naturally occurring ...

Insects as Food and Feed - Food of the Future?

BfR organises scientific symposium on the current status of the discussion and presents a study on acceptance by the general public

25-May-2016 - More research should be carried out on the possible health risks posed by insects as foods and feeds. For this reason, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is organising theBfRsymposium "Insects as Food and Feed - Food of the Future?" on 24 May 2016 in Berlin. "Insects as a source of ...