What Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung does

The Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) is a German federal scientific institute established under public law in November 2002 and operating within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). Headquartered at Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10 in Berlin with a workforce of 501–1,000 staff organised across nine specialised scientific departments (Exposure, Biological Safety, Pesticides Safety, Chemical and Product Safety, Food Safety, Risk Communication, Information Technology, the German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals [Bf3R], and the Reference Centre for Food and Feed Analytics), BfR's mandate is to provide the Federal Government, the 16 federal states (Länder), and the public with independent scientific risk assessments on food, feed, chemicals, products and cosmetics, together with transparent risk communication.

BfR's technology stack centres on a scientific risk-assessment platform that combines reference laboratory analytics with proprietary exposure-modelling software, national databases and bioinformatic pipelines. Notable proprietary components include the ConTrans Contaminant Transfer Predictor (which simulates aflatoxin transfer from feed to milk and other animal-origin foods), the rrisk & shiny microbiological risk-modelling suite, the ZooNotify zoonoses and antimicrobial-resistance portal, the LFGB-Sammlung and BTL chemical/product-safety databases, and the large-scale MEAL, KiESEL and COPLANT total-diet and exposure studies. BfR also hosts Germany's National Reference Laboratory for Trichinella, operates as the national EFSA Focal Point, runs the GLP federal bureau, and maintains microsites such as BfR2GO (science magazine) and Bf3R (lab-animal protection).

BfR is fully funded through the German federal budget and does not generate commercial revenue; all scientific opinions, publications, software, databases, and mobile applications (including the BfR Vergiftungs-App poisoning-incident app) are provided free of charge to the public under a CC BY 4.0 licence. Its go-to-market motion is therefore not commercial but institutional: direct advisory to federal and state authorities, mandatory industry notifications through the national product register, capacity-building through the BfR Summer Academy and BfR Academy (1,000+ participants from 70+ countries across 14 editions), and broad public risk communication via a BfR2GO magazine, podcast, YouTube channel, social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky), science comics and children's books.

Name

Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung

Legal name

Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) — German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment

Website

https://bfr.bund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) is Germany's federal scientific institute for risk assessment, conducting independent evaluations of food, feed, chemicals, and product safety while delivering transparent risk communication to government, consumers, and international partners such as EFSA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Scientific Risk Assessment

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Risk Assessment, Hazard Analysis & Regulatory Science (HLAJAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Risk Assessment, Hazard Analysis & Food Defense/Fraud Programs (AFALAAAO), Food, Feed & Nutraceutical Analytical Testing (HLAGADAN), Regulatory Consulting & Compliance Program Management (FDA/USDA/EFSA) (AFALADAC)

Keywords

• Risk assessment services
• Food safety advisory
• Chemical safety evaluation
• Regulatory scientific opinions
• Consumer health protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public sector funding (federal budget): The BfR is a German federal institution under public law within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It is funded through the federal budget and does not generate commercial revenue. Services (opinions, publications, apps, software, databases) are provided to the public free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) is a German federal scientific institute that delivers independent risk assessment of food, feed, chemicals, cosmetics and consumer products on behalf of the federal government, and communicates those risks transparently to the public. It operates national reference laboratories (including the National Reference Laboratory for Trichinella), maintains proprietary reference databases (LFGB-Sammlung, BTL, ZooNotify) and exposure studies (MEAL, KiESEL, COPLANT), and develops scientific software tools (ConTrans, rrisk & shiny) used by risk managers and food-safety authorities. Outputs include scientific opinions, the BfR2GO science magazine, the BfR podcast "Risiko", science comics, children's books, the BfR Vergiftungs-App poisoning app, and the BfR Summer Academy training programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BfR2GO: BfR's science magazine (Wissenschaftsmagazin) for communicating research findings to the public; a separately published periodical with its own website bfr2go.de.
• Bf3R – Deutsches Zentrum zum Schutz von Versuchstieren
• Podcast "Risiko"
• BfR Vergiftungs-App
• ConTrans
• ZooNotify

Products and services

• BfR2GO Science Magazine (Wissenschaftsmagazin) Regular science magazine published by BfR presenting research findings on risk topics in an accessible format; features themed issues such as the 1/2026 issue on PFAS ("forever chemicals").
• BfR Podcast "Risiko" (Risiko für die Ohren) Audio podcast published by BfR addressing topics around health risks, food and product safety, and risk assessment for a broad audience.
• BfR Science Comics (Wissens-Comic) Visual publication series that conveys complex scientific facts on everyday topics (e.g., PFAS, e-cigarettes) in a compact, understandable and entertaining way; primarily aimed at consumers.
• BfR Children's Books (Kinderbücher) Illustrated educational books for children from grade 1 upwards, explaining food safety topics (e.g., "Luis' und Mayas Abenteuer im Schrumpflabor — Auf Spurensuche in der Küche") about bacteria and viruses; available in German, English and Spanish editions.
• BfR Vergiftungs-App (Poisoning App) Mobile application "Vergiftungsunfälle bei Kindern" (Poisoning accidents in children) providing information on poisoning incidents in children; referenced among BfR apps.
• ConTrans (Contaminant Transfer Predictor) Digital tool developed by BfR researchers that predicts the transfer of undesirable substances (such as aflatoxins) from feed into foods of animal origin and supports simulation of contamination scenarios for risk management and regulatory authorities.
• rrisk & shiny (Risk Modelling and Automatic Reporting) Software developed at BfR for risk modelling and automatic report generation in the field of microbiology research, supporting food hygiene research and microbial risk assessment.
• BfR Summer Academy (online lecture series) Annual international online lecture series on food safety, risk assessment and risk communication; 14th edition in 2026 with participants from 40 countries; cumulative 1,000+ participants from 70+ countries since 2012.
• National Reference Laboratory for Trichinella — diagnostic testing service Germany's National Reference Laboratory for Trichinella is hosted at BfR; uses the digestion method to test meat from susceptible animals for Trichinella parasites as part of mandatory EU testing.
• BfR Scientific Opinions and Risk Assessment Reports Formal scientific opinions and risk-assessment reports published by BfR for the Federal Government, the Länder, EFSA and other counterpart bodies, covering food, feed, chemicals, cosmetics and consumer products.
• Nationales Produktregister (National Product Register) National register maintained by BfR for notifications of hazardous products, detergents and chemicals under the German Chemicals Act and the Detergents Act, and for poisoning reports under the German Poison Information Ordinance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75.7% reduction in dispensed polypeptide (mostly colistin) antibiotics in Germany between 2011 (127.4 t) and 2024 (31.0 t)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core partnership for international scientific cooperation, core european research partnership, parent / supervisory authority, regulatory coordination partner, international standards / classification body, awareness-campaign partner, core website implementation vendor, newsletter distribution vendor, internal affiliate / centre within bfr, core training channel, minor consumer microsite, research-project microsite and core content-marketing channel.

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)flagship / core partnership for international scientific cooperationStrategic or Co-development PartnerBfR serves as Germany's central national EFSA Focal Point, coordinating the exchange of scientific information between EFSA and Germany. The BfR contributes to joint European risk assessments (e.g., it reviewed and commented on EFSA's draft dioxin/dl-PCB opinion during the public consultation that ended 26 January 2026). EFSA in turn provides methodological guidance and joint opinions that BfR communicates to German stakeholders.
• European Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals (PARC)core european research partnershipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPARC is a European partnership co-funded under the EU framework programme for research. BfR participates as a German partner in this partnership to co-develop chemical risk-assessment capabilities and harmonised methods across Europe.
• Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH)parent / supervisory authorityOthersBMLEH is the supervisory agency of BfR. BfR operates as a scientifically independent institution within the BMLEH portfolio, advising the Federal Government and federal states on food, feed, chemicals and product safety.
• European Medicines Agency (EMA)regulatory coordination partnerOthersEMA's Antimicrobial Advice ad hoc Expert Group (AMEG) classifies polymyxins including colistin as Category B ('Restrict') antibiotics. BfR references and aligns with EMA recommendations on prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine (e.g., the EMA recommendation that drove the 75.7% reduction in dispensed colistin between 2011 and 2024).
• World Health Organization (WHO)international standards / classification bodyOthersWHO has classified colistin as a 'highest priority critically important antimicrobial' since 2017. BfR aligns its colistin risk assessments and recommendations with WHO classifications and contributes to the global antimicrobial-resistance dialogue.
• United Nations (World Food Safety Day)awareness-campaign partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerThe UN designates 7 June as World Food Safety Day; BfR contributes to the annual campaign (e.g., 2026 theme 'From burden to solutions — safe food everywhere'), hosts meetings (3-4 June 2026 in Bosnia and Herzegovina), and publishes aligned press releases highlighting its tools such as ConTrans.
• 3pc GmbH Neue Kommunikationcore website implementation vendorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner3pc GmbH Neue Kommunikation is responsible for the implementation and ongoing operation/hosting of the BfR website and the distribution of the BfR newsletter.
• BREVO (Sendinblue GmbH)newsletter distribution vendorTechnology or IntegrationBREVO (Sendinblue GmbH) handles email distribution of the BfR newsletters; operates under GDPR-compliant data processing terms.
• Deutsches Zentrum zum Schutz von Versuchstieren (Bf3R)internal affiliate / centre within bfrOthersBf3R is the German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals hosted at BfR. BfR coordinates nationwide activities to limit animal experiments to the essential minimum and provide the best possible protection for laboratory animals. Operates as a separate website at bf3r.de.
• BfR-akademie.de (BfR Academy)core training channelGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts the BfR Summer Academy (14th edition in 2026) and broader Academy training programmes (BfR-Wissensdialog, BfR-Forum Verbraucherschutz, risk communication and assessment trainings).
• oursafefood.deminor consumer micrositeGTM or Marketing PartnerEFSA-related microsite operated alongside BfR's main website to communicate safe-food topics to consumers.
• coplant-studie.deresearch-project micrositeGTM or Marketing PartnerDedicated microsite for the COPLANT exposure-assessment research project on plant-based foods.
• mikroco-wissen.de (Mikroco)minor consumer micrositeGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosite on micronutrients / vitamins operated alongside BfR's main website.
• bfr-meal-studie.deresearch-project micrositeGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosite for the BfR MEAL (Meals and Exposure Assessment for Food Safety) total diet study.
• bfr2go.de (BfR2GO science magazine)core content-marketing channelGTM or Marketing PartnerCompanion microsite for the BfR2GO science magazine, which publishes consumer-relevant risk topics such as the 1/2026 PFAS issue.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EU-level food and feed safety authority headquartered in Parma, issuing scientific opinions and coordinating national risk assessors including BfR. EFSA is both BfR's primary coordination counterpart and the most direct functional analogue at the European level.
• UK Food Standards Agency: UK government agency responsible for food safety and hygiene across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, providing independent risk assessment and consumer-facing risk communication. Highly comparable to BfR's combination of scientific independence and public risk-communication mandate.
• ANSES — Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail: France's national agency for food, environmental and occupational health safety, performing independent risk assessment and reference laboratory work. ANSES is the most directly comparable national-level peer to BfR in mandate, scientific scope and EFSA-Focal-Point role.
• RIVM — Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu: Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, performing independent research and risk assessment on food safety, chemicals and public health. Closely comparable to BfR in combining reference-laboratory work, exposure modelling and risk communication for a national government.
• BVL — Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit: Germany's federal office for consumer protection and food safety, responsible for risk management and enforcement in food/feed/product safety. Together with BfR (which handles independent risk assessment) BVL forms the German federal food-safety system, making it the closest institutional peer within Germany.
• AGES — Österreichische Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit: Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, coordinating risk assessment, reference laboratories and consumer protection in food and feed. Closely comparable to BfR in mandate and structure, including EFSA-Focal-Point functions for Austria.
• FSVO — Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office: Switzerland's federal centre for food safety, veterinary matters and consumer protection, performing risk assessment and coordinating with international bodies. Comparable in scope and mandate to BfR, particularly in chemical and product-safety assessment.
• DTU Food — National Food Institute (Denmark): Denmark's national food-research institute under the Technical University of Denmark, performing food-safety research, risk assessment and reference-laboratory functions. Comparable to BfR's reference-centre and exposure-assessment work at a similar national scale.

Others

• BfR — Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (subject company): Subject company itself. Listed here only as a self-reference; not a true peer. (Included inadvertently by analyst — should be disregarded.)

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): U.S. federal agency responsible for food, drug, cosmetic and medical-device safety. Far broader than BfR in mandate (combining assessment with regulation and enforcement), but the most prominent global comparator for food and chemical safety risk assessment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bfren
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BfR2012
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bundesinstitut-f-r-risikobewertung
• Instagraminstagram.com/bfrde

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung