Abstract

Reference: SOT 2002
Title: The Safety of Genetically Modified Foods Produced Through Biotechnology, Society of Toxicology Position Paper 2002.
Authors: Society of Toxicology
Publisher: Society of Toxicology, 1767 Business Center Drive, Suite 302, Reston VA 20190 USA.
Publication details: September 25, 2002.

The Society of Toxicology (SOT) defines in this statement its current consensus position on the safety of foods produced through biotechnology. The responsibility of toxicologists is to assess whether foods derived through biotechnology are at least as safe as their conventional counterparts and to ascertain that any levels of additional risk are clearly defined.

The available scientific evidence indicates that the potential adverse health effects arising from biotechnology-derived foods are not different in nature from those created by conventional breeding practices for plant, animal, or microbial enhancement, and are already familiar to toxicologists. It is therefore important to recognize that it is the food product itself, rather than the process through which it is made, that should be the focus of attention in assessing safety.

We support the use of the substantial equivalence concept as part of the safety assessment of biotechnology-derived foods. Through this approach, the safety of current biotechnology-derived foods can be compared with that of their conventional counterparts using established and accepted methods of analytical, nutritional and toxicological research.

Studies of this type have established that the level of safety to consumers of current genetically engineered foods is likely to be equivalent to that of traditional foods. At present, no verifiable evidence of adverse health effects of BD foods has been reported,  although the current passive reporting system probably would not detect minor or rare adverse effects or a moderate increase in effects with a high background incidence such as diarrhea.

The changes in the composition of existing foods produced through biotechnology are quite limited.  Assessing safety may be more difficult in the future if genetic engineering projects cause more substantial and complex changes in a foodstuff.  A continuing evolution of toxicological methodologies and regulatory strategies will be necessary to ensure that the present level of safety of biotechnology-derived foods is maintained in the future.

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