The Max Rubner-Institut (MRI) advises BMEL in the field of consumer health protection in the nutrition sector. Important research priorities are the investigation of the nutritional and health-related value of food, work in the field of food safety, and quality and bioprocess engineering. The effect of nutrition is considered from the molecular and cellular level up to the whole organism. Research on nutritional behaviour and the influence of nutrition on the development of children are also of particular importance. MRI addresses beneficial nutritional effects of food, food constituents as well as novel foods. It advises BMEL in terms of dietary prevention of non-communicable diseases and contributes to the process of conducting benefit assessments of food. Four of the nine departments conduct research on a specific food category, such as cereals, fats and oils, milk, fish, fruit, vegetables and meat. These departments focus on the entire food chain, from harvesting and production up to consumption.
