WHO and BfR sign cooperation agreement

Food safety

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The World Health Organization (WHO) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) have signed a cooperation agreement, initially for a period of ten years. This cooperation will focus on the issues of food safety, global networking for risk assessment, innovative risk assessments to address challenges in food safety and nutrition, risk communication, capacity building and sustainability in the food chain. The cooperation agreement was signed by BfR President Professor Andreas Hensel in Berlin. Also in attendance were Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, as well as his Unit Head, Standards and Scientific Advice on Food and Nutrition, Dr Moez Sanaa.

Safe food is also important in global flows of goods.

“The cooperation with the WHO is a significant milestone for the BfR,” comments Hensel. “With its 194 member states, the WHO is a strong partner for a common goal: safe food in an era of global commodity flows.”
“It is urgently necessary to strengthen the capacities of countries with low and medium incomes in order to understand the challenges of the food system, to respond to them and to improve food safety and people’s nutrition,” explains Francesco Branca. “The BfR’s experience and capabilities will improve and expand the WHO’s actions.”

The cooperation partners intend to use innovative risk assessment methods to address current and future challenges to food safety and nutrition. For example, they aim to develop a risk/benefit assessment that integrates nutrition, safety and sustainability. Global training programmes for highly qualified risk assessors are also planned. Another topic is capacity building for risk assessment and recommendations on food safety and nutrition in developing and emerging countries. Global networks for risk assessment are also to be promoted. Joint events and projects are planned to achieve these goals. These include an annual conference involving high-ranking figures from both institutions.

Global networks for risk assessment are to be promoted.

About the BfR

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The BfR advises the Federal Government and the States on questions of food, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts independent research on topics that are closely linked to its assessment tasks.