International Food Biotechnology Council

In 1990, the International Food Biotechnology Council (IFBC), a multidisciplinary team of scientists from academia and from industry, met and composed a draft titled "Biotechnologies and Food: Assuring the Safety of Foods Produced by Genetic Modification" (Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology1990;12(3), Part 2 of 2 Parts). Some highlights of their conclusions: (from Lindemann J. Food safety related to biotechnology: role of IFBC. in: Biotechnology and Food Safety Edited by Donald D. Bills and Shain-dow Kung.1990 Butterworth-Heinemann, Stoneham, MA.)

• Product pedigree - Understanding the genetic constitution of the product will help to identify safety concerns.
• Product composition should be characterized for significant nutrient and toxicant constituents, with guidance from the product pedigree.
• Exposure evaluation - New food products should always be evaluated for exposure potential, i.e. how much of the product an individual will probably consume.
• Proposed regulatory options: IFBC recommends a system that regulates where necessary to assure safety, but avoids unnecessary regulation that delays the introduction of useful products.

Back to Safety of Products of Plant Biotechnology

Prepared Summer 1997 by Bernadene Magnuson, Ph.D.
University of Idaho, Dept. of Food Science and Toxicology - EXTOXNET FAQ Team.