Abstract
The development and marketing of ‘novel’ genetically modified (GM) crops in which composition has been deliberately altered poses a challenge to the European Union (EU)'s risk assessment processes, which are based on the concept of substantial equivalence with a non-GM comparator. This article gives some examples of these novel GM crops and summarizes the conclusions of a report that was commissioned by the European Food Safety Authority on how the EU's risk assessment processes could be adapted to enable their safety to be assessed.
Highlights
SummaryThe development and marketing of ‘novel’ genetically modified (GM) crops in which composition has been deliberately altered poses a challenge to the European Union (EU)’s risk assessment processes, which are based on the concept of substantial equivalence with a non-GM comparator
The food and feed risk assessment strategy for genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe, as applied by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) GMO Panel, compares GM plants and their derived food and feed with a conventional non-GM comparator, the comparator being a plant with a history of safe use as food
Current EFSA guidance on the risk assessment of food and feed from GM plants states that: “Where no comparator can be identified, a comparative risk assessment cannot be made and a comprehensive safety and nutritional assessment of the GM plant and derived food and feed itself should be carried out. This would, for instance, be the case where the food and/or feed derived from a GM plant is not closely related to a food and/or a feed with a history of safe use, or where a specific trait or specific traits are introduced with the intention of changing significantly the composition of the plant” (EFSA, 2011)
Summary
The development and marketing of ‘novel’ genetically modified (GM) crops in which composition has been deliberately altered poses a challenge to the European Union (EU)’s risk assessment processes, which are based on the concept of substantial equivalence with a non-GM comparator. This article gives some examples of these novel GM crops and summarizes the conclusions of a report that was commissioned by the European Food Safety Authority on how the EU’s risk assessment processes could be adapted to enable their safety to be assessed
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