BfR completes a standardised test procedure for hunting rifle bullets — fewer metal fragments in game meat, method checked in an interlaboratory study
On 2 February 2026 Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) announced the completion of its project, running since 2019, to develop a standardised test procedure for hunting rifle bullets. The procedure was checked in an interlaboratory study; the results were to be presented at the symposium “Wild – erforscht!” on 4–5 February.
- The procedure is meant to make it possible to test, comparably and reproducibly, how bullets — lead and lead-free — behave in tissue: delivering enough energy for animal-welfare-compliant killing while leaving as few metal fragments as possible in the meat. It was developed with an international expert panel.
- Shooting tests examined, among other things, the suitability of soap and gelatine blocks as ballistic test simulants. Already in 2024 the BfR described shooting at such blocks to study the effect of different bullets and whether, and to what extent, fragments remain in the meat.
- Participants in the interlaboratory study included the German Test and Research Institute for Hunting and Sporting Guns (DEVA) and the Bundeswehr University; five external participants in the study were announced as speakers at the symposium, to present the results and their experience.
- According to the BfR, hunters are traditionally among the heaviest consumers of game meat and are therefore a particular focus when it comes to possible health risks — in 2024 the BfR named protecting high consumers such as hunters and their families as the aim. Hunters are also food producers and share responsibility for the safety of game meat.