Federal Office for Agriculture and Food

Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and Vegetables Source: monticellllo - Fotolia.com

Nutrition and Food

Quality, transparency and traceability play an increasingly important role regarding food. The BLE monitors compliance with marketing standards and labelling requirements.

Marketing Standards

In the European Union a number of agricultural products which are intended for supply to the consumer are subject to marketing standards and labelling requirements. These include minimum requirements to ensure edibility, classification and labelling. The BLE monitors compliance with marketing standards and labelling requirements. Read more

EU Quality Labels

The EU awards quality labels for traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG) for agricultural products and foodstuffs, a protected designation of origin (PDO), and a protected geographical indication (PGI) for wine. The BLE is the authority responsible for carrying out these procedures in Germany.

Beef Labelling

With the introduction of beef labelling, a system for ensuring traceability of beef has been established which is applicable in addition to the general requirements of food legislation and food labelling. The BLE is the authority responsible for implementing the legislation on beef labelling.

Meat Classification

Enterprises which grade carcasses of bovines, pigs, and sheep according to classes and categories (meat classification) require accreditation pursuant to the Meat Law. The BLE is the authority responsible for accreditation and for monitoring compliance with accreditation requirements by grading enterprises.

Securing public food supplies

Securing public food supplies is an essential part of state provided services for the common good. This applies in particular, if due to supply disruptions the usual extensive choice of food supplies is no longer available. At federal level, the BLE is the authority responsible for performing key tasks concerning food provision and food security.