Towards the global responsibility How safe and sustainable the GM foods? Towards the global responsibility Klára Szita Tóth - László Tóth University of Miskolc http: / / www.uni-miskolc.hu * This paper is part of results of T 32926 and T 29862 Hungarian Scientific Research Fund EFLA CONGRESS - 2002 September 19th – 20th 2002 Budapest, HUNGARY FOOD SAFETY FOR EVERYBODY THE CHALLENGES FOR THE EUROPEAN FOOD AUTHORITY THE ROLE OF SCIENCE THE FREE CIRCULATION OF FOODSTUFFS

State of art The GM foods are products of biotechnology. The first Genetically Modified (GM) Crops have been put on the market in the mid-nineties – today novel foods ??? The biotechnology means new ways in the production, new possibilities of food safety and food security. It offers the potential for more environmentally friendly agriculture; it results revolutionary change in people’s lives. New technologies have get some risks also and these raise host ethical and political issues.

Figure 1 The sharing of identified risks The identified risks Source: ICGB Biosafety News 2001

10th GIN Conference, Göteborg, June 23-26, 2002 Models of share of responsibility Food Safety Regulation Policies Europe (EU) · Developed a de facto policy on food safety Relatively weak controls at the centre EU regulatory system had deficiencies in independent regulator "European Food Authority”- "from farm to table." America (U.S.) Lead agency in the regulation of food safety is FDA - no political pressures Standards for meat and poultry –USDA regulating pesticides is EPA Monitoring foodborne illnesses - CDC 10th GIN Conference, Göteborg, June 23-26, 2002

Biotechnological activity in CEE Registered gene laboratories in Hungary: HAS Research Centre of Biology, Szeged Bay Zoltán Applied Research Foundation Institute of Biotechnology, Szeged Centre of Agricultural Biotechnology Research, Gödöllő Cereal Research Institute, Szeged Agriculture University Department of Genomic and Plantresearch,, Gödöllő Fruit Research Laboratory, Fertőd HAS Agricultural Research Institute, Martonvásár Registered gene laboratories High-level researches (Hungary) Applied experiments in plant production Laws – since 1994 BINAP and UNEP assists - „Act XXVII of 1998 on Biotechnology Activities” (HU), Debates: researchers --NGO, ETK Nature Conservation Club Surveys ( Universities, NGOs, other research)

Hungarian survey – opinion about GM research, 2001 1 New pharmaceuticals, medicines and vaccines for humans 2 Prevention of human disease though genetic screening or gene therapy 3 Hardier crops that allow for reduced use of agricultural chemicals and water 4 Food products that benefit consumers in terms of nutrition value, shelf life or cost 5 Livestock that grow faster or produce higher yields 6 Use of animals as "bioreactors" to produce various products 7 Cloning of livestock and laboratory animals 8 Use of crop plants to produce industrial chemicals and other raw materials 9 Use of bio-organisms to consume hazardous waste and clean up spills 10 Use of biotechnology in non food related industrial application 11 Genetic alterations to enhance physical, intellectual and behavioural characteristics of humans 12 Genetically derived sources of energy 1 good –accepted 5 very bad Figure 5

Figure 7 Hungarian survay - Evaluation of Institutional Responsibility 1 very bad 5 very good No of answering Figure 7

Need steps for food safety and sustainability international agreement in policy of GM food harmonised science-based regulation legislation in US and EU, which the leader actors, and on national level to develop the best practices, review of permits after 5 or 10 years (extended risk assessment, also looking into indirect effects, especially of the long term impacts, post-market monitoring of effects, up to date information for experts and public, clear principles in labelling

The International level of regulation (US - EU and debates) America (U.S.) Europe (EU) Regulatory authorities make their determinants solely based on scientific risk assessments and fallow for a great deal of industry self regulation. The FDA decided - GM foods were not meaning fully different than regular foods, based on the health risks of the individual products, not the process by which it is produced. Companies are not required to obtain prior government approval to market GM crops. The majority of Europeans have been hesitant to accept the „novel foods”. In densely populated Europe farms are much closer to nature reserves, potentially posing a greater threat to the natural environment.

America (U.S.) Europe (EU) In 1992 the FDA ruled that no labelling was required for GM foods. Relative lack of US consumer – anxiety over GM foods. threshold effectively requires the segregation. By the US, this Europe’s attitude toward GM foods is the „single greatest trade threat” to US agricultural export. EU regulation focus on the process by which they are produced, State approval before a GM crop variety may even be planted. regulation mandating the labelling (January 2000, the EU set the labelling threshold at one percent of the crop.) EU has maintained a de facto moratorium on the approval of new GM varieties;