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Fourth International Advisory Board Meeting for the BfR MEAL Study
On October 19th and 20th, 2017 the International Advisory Board for the BfR MEAL Study met for the fourth time at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment site at Alt-Marienfelde in Berlin. Together with scientists and researchers from international organisations such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), BfR’s French sister agency, ANSES, and experts from within Germany, the BfR-MEAL Study team discussed experiences from the first year of the study. The upcoming challenges with regard to the sampling and analysis of foods have also been an issue, as well as how to communicate the initial set of study results expected at the beginning of 2019.
In particular, the enormous scope of the study has impressed the experts in light of the large number of foods to be tested, as well as with regard to the preparations to ensure its representativeness. Thus, the preparatory studies regarding kitchen utensils used in Germany, recipe sources and browning or crispiness preferences were discussed by the researchers and scientists in the BfR MEAL study in exactly the same way as the procedures and challenges involved in analysing the food prepared.
With their extensive knowledge on Total Diet Studies from other countries, such as France, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, along with their experience in the field of analytics, the members of the Advisory Board were able to give valuable tips and suggestions next steps of the BfR MEAL Study.
The next meeting of the International Advisory Board is expected to take place at the beginning of 2019. A discussion of the initial results from the first field phase of the BfR MEAL Study, as well as the concept for the modules in the second phase - such as process contaminants and additives - will be on the agenda.
