Food
Official food control
Official food control checks that companies are complying with the legal provisions. The BVL prepares coordinated control plans as part of these checks.
- Tasks
- Food
- Tasks in the field of foodstuffs
- Official food control
Many topics, one goal
Many paths, one goal: Safe food
The BVL carries out many tasks, with which it contributes to safer food and thus strengthens consumer health protection in Germany.
Multiannual National Control Plan
Each EU Member State draws up a multiannual national control plan (MANCP). This plan describes the control system from producer to consumer. The MANCP outlines the strategic aims of the official control in Germany.
Federal control plan
The programmes of the Federal control plan implement a coordinated national inspection of foodstuffs and commodities. This is how compliance with the appropriate legal provisions for the protection of consumers is checked.
Monitoring of foodstuffs, cosmetic products and commodities
In the monitoring programmes, foodstuffs, cosmetic products and commodities are systematically, representatively and preventatively tested for undesired substances. The results are used to assess risks to health.
NRCP and ICP for food of animal origin
Under the NRCP (National Residue Control Plan) and the ICP (Import Control Plan), live and slaughtered livestock and food of animal origin are tested for residues of unwanted substances with the aim of detecting illegal use of banned or unauthorised …
Zoonoses monitoring
Representative data on zoonotic agents in foodstuffs, feed and live animals is collected by the federal states under zoonoses monitoring and assessed and published by the BVL.
National Report on Residues of Plant Protection Products in Food
The National Report on Plant Protection Product Residues in Food, published annually, brings together all the data from the official food control of the federal states on residues of plant protection products in foodstuffs.
Report on irradiated food
In Germany there is a general ban on irradiation of foodstuffs; only the irradiation of dried aromatic herbs and spices is permitted. As part of European reporting requirements, the results of samples inspected for irradiation are notified and …
Community controls
Commission experts from the Directorate General Health and Food Safety (SANTE) following an annual control programme shall carry out general and specific audits in Member States and in third countries exporting to the EU.
Data management
The BVL maintains and makes available the catalogues and testing programme for the transfer of data from official food and veterinary control by the federal states. The data transferred is entered into a database of BVL and serves as the basis for …
Working group of food chemistry experts from the federal states and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (ALS)
The ALS drafts decisions on specific technical issues with the aim of uniform official assessment of foodstuffs of non-animal origin by the competent authorities in the federal states.
Food hygiene and food of animal origin working group (ALTS)
The ALTS drafts decisions on specific technical issues with the aim of uniform official assessment of foodstuffs of animal origin by the competent authorities in the federal states.