European Netwok Safety of Genetically Modified Food

PROPOSAL: QLK1-1999-01182 ACRONYM ENTRANSFOOD
AREA: FP5 - QoL, 5/ 1:Food, Nutrition and Health 1 - Development of safe and flexible and new and/or improved manufacturing processes and technologies Call number / date: 1a
PROJECT TYPE: Thematic Network EU CONTRIBUTION: 751,839
STARTING DATE: 01/02/00 DURATION: 36 months

Coordinator: Dr.ir. H.A. Kuiper, RIKILT, Dept. Food Safety & Health, P.O. Box 230, NL -6700 AE, Wageningen, The Netherlands, Email: h.a.kuiper@rikilt.wag-ur.nl

Project Description:
An European Network on genetically modified (GM) food crops will deal with the problems related to food safety and market introduction of GM-food crops. - to identify key issues of the safety evaluation of genetically modified food crops, and to examine whether current research methods are adequate to characterise specific safety hazards; - to co-ordinate ongoing research regarding safety testing of transgenic foods in the framework of the European research program FP5; - to design new (in-vitro) test methodologies for safety and nutritional evaluation of whole complex foods, which are of sufficient sensitivity and specificity; - to address the risks of gene transfer from genetically modified organisms to the gut microflora of humans and animals; - to examine new strategies for the detection of genetically modified foods, which enable detection at specific threshold levels for raw materials, processed products and food ingredients; - to examine the fate of genetically modified raw materials and processed products throughout food production chains (tracking and tracing); - to develop criteria for quality assurance systems to guarantee 'non-gmo-containing' materials throughout food chains - to develop a communication platform of producers of gmo's, scientists involved in research and safety evaluation of gmo's, retailers, regulatory authorities and consumer groups with the scope to improve safety assessment procedures, risk management strategies and risk communication. Expected achievements The Thematic Network will identify proper research strategies and tools to address issues related to safety and management of transgenic food products. Participants involved in research, safety assessment and management, regulation and consumers interests will evaluate on-going research activities in this area, discuss new approaches and establish a permanent platform for communication between the various parties involved. As a result various Working Groups will write a number of research papers and position documents. These documents will be incorporated into one position paper, which will give guidance on the various aspects mentioned above. It is important to demonstrate that the scientific challenges of safety testing of genetically modified foods can be met, while further initiatives will be taken in Europe to improve current test methodologies, using modern molecular based techniques. Agreement on safety assessment strategies for gmo's, and on issues related to risk management and risk communication will facilitate market introduction of gmo's in Europe, and therefore bring the European industry in a competitive position.

Project URL: http://www.entransfood.com/

Consortium:
Co-ordinator: 1. I. König-Lamers Management Assistente afd. Veiligheid & Gezondheid van Voedsel RIKILT-Wageningen-UR Postbus 230 6700 AE Wageningen Tel: 0317-475461 Fax: 0317-417717, E-mail: entransfood@rikilt.wag-ur.nl 2. Institute of Food Safety and Toxicology, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Denmark 3. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Newcastle, United Kingdom 4. Département d'Ecophysiologie Végétale et de Microbiologie CEA Cadarache, Saint Paul Lez Durance, France 5. Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Joint Research Center of the European Commission, Italy 6. Umweltbundesamt, Austria 7. Institute of Food Research, Food Quality and Materials Science Division, Diet Health & Consumer Science, United Kingdom 8. Nutritional Chemistry, Rowett Research Institute, United Kingdom 9. Unilever Research Colworth, SEAC Toxicology Department, United Kingdom 10. Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Section of Cereal Chemistry Laboratory of Food, Italy 11. Laboratoire Associe INRA-CEA d'lmmuno-Allergie Alimentaire, Service de Pharmacologie et Immunologie, France 12. Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden 13. Immunology Unit, Molecular Sciences Department, TNO-BIBRA, United Kingdom 14. Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Lebensmitteltechnologie, Technische Universität München, Germany 15. Plant Biotechnology Department, Metapontum Agrobios, Italy 16. Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI), Wageningen-UR, the Netherlands 17. TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute, the Netherlands 18. KEPKA Western Greece, Greece 19. Cellular & Environmental Physiology Department, The Scottish Crop Research Institute, United Kingdom 20. Robert Koch Institut, Zentrum Gentechnologie, Germany 21. International Life Sciences Institute ILSI Europe, Belgium 22. Bundesinstitut für Gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutz und Veterinärmedizin (BgVV), Center for Novel Foods and Genetic Engeneering, Germany 23. Regulatory Toxicology, Herbicides and Biotechnology, Aventis CropScience, France 24. Institute of Food Technology, General Food Technology and Food Microbiology, Hohenheim University, Germany 25. European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Reference Materials Unit-Ec-JRC-IRMM, Belgium 26. Bureau Euorpeên des Unions de Consommateurs, BEUC, Belgium 27. Department of Biochemistry, University of Kuopio, Finland 28. Swiss Quality Testing Services, Food Testing Laboratory, Migros Cooperatives, Switzerland 29. Scientific Affairs, Agricultural Sector, Monsanto Service International, Belgium 30. Quality and Safety Assurance, Food Safety Group, Nestlé Research Centre, Switzerland 31. National Veterinary Institute, Section of Food and Feed Microbiology, Norway 32. Central Toxicology laboratory, Syngenta, United Kingdom 33. Unilever Health Institute, Unilever Research Vlaardingen, The Netherlands 35. Swedish National Food Administration, Sweden 36. Centre for Bioethics and Risk Assessment, Research Department of Human Nutrition, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark 37. Nestec SA, Switzerland.


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