BfR

The BfR is the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung). It issues recommendations on the health assessment of materials for food contact. These are not legally binding standards, but they represent the current state of knowledge on the safety of materials such as elastomers, silicone and plastics in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.

Under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, Article 3(1), materials intended for food contact must be manufactured so that, under normal or foreseeable conditions of use, they do not transfer their constituents to food in quantities that could endanger human health, bring about an unacceptable change in the composition of the food or impair its organoleptic characteristics. Under § 31(1) of the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB), non-compliant articles may not be used or placed on the market.

Product-contact materials used in the food industry for which the end user requests or specifies this recommendation.

Several materials already hold an official BfR recommendation, both for sheet material (punched parts, flat seals) and for compounds (moulded articles, sealing rings, hose rings, O-rings). One example is silicone according to BfR Recommendation XXI.

The BfR recommendation is a decisive factor for end users in the food sector. It confirms that products are safe and harmless and comply with the BfR's quality standards and recommendations.