Safety and Labelling Aspects of GM Foods

1. Safety and Labelling Aspects of GM Foods Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs and Tourism By The National Department of Health 31 July 2007

2. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (1) • Conventional/non-GM foods are not assessed for safety • However, discrete substances added or used on/in food like food additives and pesticides are assessed for toxicity • These toxicological studies are straightforward and acceptable intakes and maximum levels on/in the food are determined • GM foods are complicated because they are whole, i.e. no single identifiable risk 2

3. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (2) • Thus GM foods are looked at holistically • Benchmark for safety required: compare the GM food to its non-GM counterpart or similar • This is the principle of “substantial equivalence” • Three broad areas are covered to determine safety within the principle of substantial equivalence • Toxicity • Allergenicity • Nutritional and compositional analysis • This safety assessment is part of a larger framework referred to as risk analysis 3

4. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (3) • Risk analysis is a theoretical principle on which safety assessments are carried out. • Risk analysis is composed of three areas: risk assessment, risk management, risk communication. • Risk assessment refers to the scientific assessment of the foodstuff in terms of toxicity, allergenicity and compositional analysis as described above. 4

5. Risk Analysis RM RA RC 5

6. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (4) • Risk management refers to the understanding of the risks and benefits involved in e.g. GM foods and taking decisions to manage these risks • Risk communication refers to the continued communication between various stakeholder groups, e.g. the applicant, the government, consumer organisations, the public etc. 6

7. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (5) • Within the context of GM-food safety, risk assessment of foodstuffs is conducted by the scientific advisory committee, risk management by the Executive Council and risk communication between the varying groups in the form of public notices, release of EC meeting minutes, and PUB etc. • Risk assessment and the precautionary principle… 7

8. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (6) • Food risk assessment (part of food risk analysis) is guided by international principles and standards. South Africa utilises Codex Alimentarius standards as a benchmark • Codex Alimentarius is an international food standard setting authority under the FAO/WHO of the United Nations • Their mandate is to facilitate production and trade of safe food 8

9. Risk Analysis and the Safety of GM foods (7) • South Africa is a member state of the Codex Alimentarius Commission • SA food risk assessors, as present in the SAC, look at aspects of food safety with regards to toxicity, allergenicity, and compositional analysis • Therefore, all GM foods available in South Africa are considered safe because they have thoroughly assessed for food safety aspects • These safety assessments are also endorsed by international standard setting authorities 9

10. Labelling (1) • Dept. of Health looks at labelling of GM foods within the context of GM food safety. • The Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 has two regulations relating to labelling of foodstuffs • No. R. 2034 of 1993 (general labelling) and No. R. 25 of 2004 (specific to GM foodstuffs) 10

11. Labelling (2) • Labelling regulations require mandatory labelling of GM food that • contains a likely allergen • has different cooking or storage specifications as compared to the conventional counterpart • is a plant/plant product that contains animal or human genes/proteins or • is an animal/animal product that contains human genes • In addition, labelling is required if the composition or nutritional value of the GM food is significantly different from its conventional counterpart. 11

12. Labelling (3) • Internationally, Codex is yet undecided on the issue of labelling of GM foods • Debates are ongoing for the past ten years • SA legislation considered an interim measure until international consensus is reached • In addition SA has to take account of the SA situation for labelling of GM foodstuffs 12

13. Labelling (4) • Requires identity preservation systems (IPS), which are not well implemented in SA. • Compulsory labelling and IPS may have impacts on food prices • It is also envisaged that enforcement will not be optimal because of the considerable resources required to police • Also, approved GM foods are considered safe and labelling due to safety concerns are not required • Thus, current labelling regulations are considered appropriate 13