German organisation BfR explains food risk assessment process
The German risk assessor Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) has released a brochure assessing cadmium intake through foods as an example of how food risks are scientifically reviewed.
The heavy metal cadmium occurs naturally in the soil and spreads to plants that are used for food and feed. Too much cadmium can lead to bone and kidney damage, BfR said.
Its brochure, "Cadmium in food - A recent assessment of the population’s intake" explains how BfR examines eating habits of various groups to assess health risk and how it can be reduced, outlining the individual steps of scientific risk assessment in simple terms.
“As the example of cadmium can be applied to the assessment of other food risks too, it contains background information for everyone who deals with risk assessment issues in the food sector,” BfR said.
It is available for download (in German) at www.bfr.bund.de.
