Kirsten Pilegaard

Kirsten Pilegaard is a Senior Adviser at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark. With a scientific background in toxicology and quantitative pathology, she specializes in evaluating the toxic effects of bioactive constituents in plants and mushrooms, particularly within food supplements, novel foods, and botanical ingredients.

• Key affiliations: Technical University of Denmark (2007–present), Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research (2004–2006), Institute of Toxicology, National Food Agency (1988–2003)
• Primary research areas: Natural toxins, botanical safety, and risk-benefit assessments for food products.

Her work includes participation in EFSA working groups (2007–present) and contributions to the Drogeliste, a database evaluating food supplement safety. She has collaborated on projects like EUROFIR, focusing on bioactive plant compounds, and studied endocrine disruptors in mammary gland development.

Notable contributions include advising national food authorities, supervising PhD students Anne-Sofie R. Ballegaard and K. M. Egebjerg, and authoring 62 publications, including peer-reviewed articles on quinoa allergenicity and linseed health impacts.

Recent media engagements include commentaries on food supplement risks (ashwagandha, DMAA, green tea) and public appearances addressing peanut allergy burdens and quinoa's safety for infant diets.