The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the Max-Rubner Institute (MRI), and the Federal Centre for Nutrition (BZfE) will be consolidated under the Ministry of Agriculture’s portfolio to form a new Federal Institute for Risk Assessment and Nutrition.
Minister Alois Rainer’s office (CSU) announced this move on Tuesday, stating that the primary goal is to consolidate expertise in consumer health protection, thereby improving efficiency through clearer responsibilities and a networked scientific capacity.
The combined institute will pursue a “holistic approach” by unifying several critical areas, including food quality, food safety, nutritional security, and nutrition and risk communication. Furthermore, the merger aims to strengthen the independence of scientific advice and communication concerning both food safety and nutrition. The integration of the National Reference Laboratories is intended to significantly boost capabilities in research and analytics.
Looking ahead, the new federal institute is scheduled to commence operations in 2029. However, the process will begin in stages: beginning January 1, 2028, the National Reference Laboratories belonging to the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) will be integrated into the BfR, while crucial tasks from the Federal Centre for Nutrition will be incorporated into the MRI.
