anses

ANSES, or the Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail, is a French government agency responsible for risk assessment in the domains of food safety, environmental protection, and occupational health and safety. It operates as a public establishment overseen by multiple ministries, including health, agriculture, environment, and labor. The agency is headquartered in Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, with activities and staff distributed across regional units in France.

Created in 2010 through the merger of former agencies such as AFSSA and AFSSET, ANSES provides independent scientific expertise to inform public policy and regulatory decisions. Its core functions include evaluating hazards and exposures related to food and feed, consumer products, environmental and occupational settings; conducting surveillance and monitoring programs; and producing opinions, risk assessments, and guidelines. The organization is structured around scientific committees and departments covering areas such as food safety and nutrition, toxicology and pharmacovigilance, environmental health, and animal and plant health.

ANSES collaborates with national authorities and international bodies, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), contributing to EU-wide risk assessment efforts. It publishes its findings publicly to support transparency and informed public discourse. While it does not regulate directly, ANSES serves as a key scientific interlocutor for policymakers, industry, and the public on matters related to alimentation, environmental health, and workplace safety, supporting risk management and regulatory decisions in France and beyond.