GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

Genetically modified foods and food ingredients are becoming popular, world wide, as measures to enhance productivity, decrease the use of certain agricultural chemicals, and also to modify the inherent properties of crops, rendering them added nutritional value or even an increased shelf life.

While scientists are engaged in the research and cultivation of GM crops for their benefits, consumers and food experts are concerned with the safety of such foods and the potential adverse affects, if any, on human health and the environment.

Countries around the world have adopted different regulations/positions regarding permitting trade of such food and food ingredients within their countries.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is addressing this issue through an Ad hoc Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology, which has been set up to develop standards, guidelines or recommendations, as appropriate, for foods derived from biotechnology.

Besides, the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) is addressing the labelling issues that will ultimately be taken up in the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods.

The proposed amendment on definition was adopted at Step 5 by the 23rd Session of CAC(2000) and considered at the 28th Session of CCFL (5-9 May 2000), which made a number of amendments and returned the text to Step 6 for comments.

It was reconsidered at the 29th Session of CCFL (2001) in light of comments

During these sessions there had been extensive debate on the use of these terms "modern biotechnology" and "genetically modified / engineered".

Several delegations were of the opinion that the term modern biotechnology should be used to ensure consistency throughout the Codex text and with the Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety, whereas others were in favour of retaining the latter in the labelling provisions as it was a term more commonly used and understood by consumers, world wide, and corresponding to the regulations established in most countries.

The Committee had agreed to include both definitions as a compromise and advance the draft amendment to Step 8 for consideration at the 24th Session of the Commission held during 2-7 July 2001.
However, due to lack of consensus on the appropriate terminology, the Commission returned the draft amendment to Step 6 for further comments and consideration by CCFL.

The 30th Session of CCFL (2002) re-discussed the issue and again could not reach a consensus and decided to return the draft amendment to Step 6, for further comments and discussion at the next Session, with the addition of footnotes as proposed by Spain stating that the terminology used in this section did not affect the terminology in actual labelling.

Draft Amendment to the General Standard for Labelling of Prepackaged Foods:
Section 4.2.2 Labelling of Foods obtained through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/ Genetic Engineering (Declaration of Allergens)

The 24th Session of the Commission (2001) adopted at Step 8 an amendment as proposed by the 28th Session of CCFL (2000) regarding declaration of allergens in food and food ingredients obtained from biotechnology.

Proposed Draft Recommendations for the Labelling of Foods Obtained through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/ Genetic Engineering (Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods- Section 5 Additional Mandatory Labelling)

A Working Group established at the 27th Session of CCFL(1999) had presented a revised proposed draft amendment to Section 5, which contained two options:

The first option requires labelling when the products obtained through biotechnology differ significantly from the corresponding food as regards, composition, nutritional value or intended use.

The second option requires the declaration of the method of production for

There was divided support for both options, and the implications of mandatory labelling as regards enforcement, methodology, economic cost and consumer perception was brought to the attention of the Committee. The difficulties likely to be faced by developing countries were also pointed out.

Regarding the threshold levels in Option 2, it was pointed out that the analytical methods should be considered by the Codex Committee on Method of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS).

The Delegation of India and Norway supported by other delegations and observer organizations expressed the view that all food and food ingredients produced by genetic engineering should be labelled and that labelling should be mandatory.

Recognizing the diversity of opinions among member countries, the Committee decided to return the proposed draft amendment to Step 3. It was decided that a Working Group coordinated by Canada would continue its deliberations in order to combine the different labelling options proposed during discussions.

The drafting group convened two meetings, in India and Brazil, respectively, before the 29th Session of CCFL (2001). As a result of the extensive discussions, the Working Group revised the text in the form of Guidelines, which allowed different labelling options, including comprehensive labelling, and provided guidance on the labelling requirements in each case.

The 29th and 30th Sessions of CCFL (2001 and 2002) discussed the proposed drafts, Section wise in great details. However recognizing that no consensus could be reached on several important issues, amended the draft guidelines as a result of discussions at the Sessions and returned it to Step 3 for further comments and consideration at the next session.

Adhoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology

The Task Force, which is required to complete its work by 2003, has held three Sessions in Japan, the first being from 14-17 March 2000 and the second from 25 to 29 March 2001, and the third from 4-8 March 2002.

The First Session agreed to an overall work programme as follows

Progress of the work of the Task Force through these sessions as well as meetings of the two open ended working groups are as follows:

"Proposed Draft Principles for the Risk Analysis of Foods Derived from Modern Biotechnology" were approved by the 24th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission at Step 5 and advanced to Step 6. These were considered at Step 7 at the third session and advanced to Step 8 for consideration by the 25th Session of the Commission (12-15 February 2003)

"Proposed Draft Guideline for the Conduct of Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants" were approved by the 24th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission at Step 5 and advanced to Step 6. These were considered at Step 7 at the third session and advanced to Step 8 for consideration by the 25th Session of the Commission (12-15 February 2003)

An annex on" the assessment of allergenicity" is under preparation and was considered at Step 4 at the 3rd Session and recommended for adoption by the 25th Session of the Commission at Steps 5 and 8 omitting Steps 6 and 7 (12-15 February 2003);

"Proposed Draft Guideline for the Conduct of Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant - DNA Plants" was elaborated by the Working Group established at the first session, circulated for comments at Step 3 and advanced to Step 5 for consideration at the 24th Session of CAC (2001) which advanced it to Step 6. At the 3rd Session this draft was agreed to be advanced for adoption by 25th Session of the Commission (12-15 February 2003);

New work on "Proposed Draft Guideline for the Conduct of Safety Assessment of Modified Microorganisms in Food" was agreed to be initiated and approved by the 24th Session of the Commission. At the 3rd session of the Task Force it was advanced to Step 5 for consideration at the next session of the Executive Committee.

Analytical methods including those for the detection or identification of foods or food ingredients derived from biotechnology: A first "List of methods validated by inter-laboratory studies" was prepared by the Working Group and a circular letter had been addressed to members to:

Based on the recommendation of the Working Group, the Task Force agreed to:

• forward to the Codex Committee For Methods of Analysis And Sampling (CCMAS) for consideration this agreed list;
• propose to CCMAS to consider further methods of analysis
• propose through CAC that FAO, WHO and the FAO/IAEA Joint Division for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture encourage the development and maintenance of information of methods under development and not yet validated in cooperation with national /regional institutions.

It was noted that the FAO Biosecurity Portal was under development in cooperation with WHO and other agencies. It was envisaged that registries of official information, such as methods of analysis would be available through this Portal.

The fourth Session of the Task Force is scheduled to be held from 10-14 March 2003 in Yokohama, Japan.