EU regulation of genetically modified organisms: Food and feed, traceability and labelling

10.5912/jcb4 ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Schofield

The European Commission has proposed two new regulations to deal with the labelling and traceability of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). These deal with both food and animal feed. The intention is to provide information to the consumer, to ensure transparency of GM ingredients in the food chain and to encourage the unblocking of an (unofficial) moratorium on GM crops. This paper describes where the proposals are in the EU system, the issues and the problems industry will face if they are implemented in their present format.

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Poli

Member States wishing to cultivate genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have always been a minority in the EU. Only eight out of twenty-seven have experienced transgenic agriculture. Throughout the years, the opposition to this form of farming has become a genuinely transnational phenomenon given that many regions of different European countries declared themselves GMO-free. Moreover, Member States such as Austria, Luxembourg, Greece, Poland and, most recently, Hungary officially banned transgenic agriculture within their borders altogether. France and Germany suspended the cultivation of GM maize MON 810, respectively in 2008 and 2009.In addition, the EU has previously authorized only two GM crops: GM maize MON 810 (authorization renewed in 2008) and GM potato EH92-527-1 (2010), known as the ‘Amflora potato.’ The cautious approach towards transgenic farming is also witnessed by the long and contested process of renewal of the permit to cultivate GM maize MON 810 and the issue of the authorization for the Amflora potato.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blanca Salas Ferer

In April 2015, the European Commission (hereinafter, Commission) adopted a package on the authorisation of genetically modified organisms (hereinafter, GMOs) as food and feed in the EU. The package, which derives from the Political Guidelines presented to the European Parliament in July 2014 on the basis of which the current Commission was elected, consists of a Communication (titled Reviewing the decision-making process on genetically modified organisms) and a legislative draft (i.e., Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 as regards the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the use of genetically modified food and feed on their territory, and hereinafter, the Proposal).


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Poli

The recently enacted Directive 2015/412 is a long waited piece of legislation. This legislation introduces a new provision in Directive 2001/18, Art. 26 b, which gives Member States the regulatory freedom to decide whether genetically modified organisms (“GMOs”) should be cultivated or not in their territory. One month after the publication of this act in the Official Journal of the EU, the Commission issued a Communication in which it illustrates further legislative changes to the legislation on genetically modified food and feed (“GM food and feed”). On the same day, the Commission has tabled a proposal for a Regulation, amending Regulation 1829/2003 (the “proposed reform of GM food and feed”) that envisages the possibility for the Member States to restrict or prohibit the use of GM food and feed on their territory. The proposed act is described as a complement to Directive 2015/412 and is inspired by the same principles.


Author(s):  
R. P. Paranjak ◽  
B. M. Kalyn ◽  
B. V. Gutyj

The state and prospects of the use of transgenic plants in agriculture of Lviv region are considered in the paper. Transgenic plants are a kind of genetically modified organisms obtained by biotechnological methods using trans-transfer (between unrelated species) genes. In recent years, such cultures have become widespread in the world. The vast majority of soy, corn and other crops are planted with GM varieties. In the EU countries there is no broad perception of such cultures and there are significant restrictions on their distribution. Approximately 70 types of GMOs are allowed in the EU, including many decorative products (flowers) and about 58 GMOs for use in food and feed. In the world, 168 lines of genetically modified plants: corn, rape, cotton, potatoes, soya, rice, tomatoes, wheat and others were registered and allowed to be used for industrial production of food and feed. Our country also has some experience in obtaining transgenic organisms. According to unofficial data, in Ukraine transgenic 60–70% soybeans, 10–20% corn, 5% rape. In the near future, Ukraine should develop a clear concept of attitude towards GMOs, and the absence of a position on this issue complicates the planning of activities of the agro-sector. In the Lviv region there are prospects for growing GM varieties of soybean, corn and sunflower; there is evidence that a significant part of the crops of the first belongs to the modified varieties. Growing of GM sunflower in comparison with the usual one will have limited competitive advantages. Of the other crops that the area is specialized in, one can name potatoes whose GM varieties are used mainly for technical needs, and wheat, whose GM varieties have not yet been sufficiently tested. In the world market, there is a demand for genetically modified crops, an estimated 68% of Ukrainian agroholdings claim to be willing and able to grow GM crops for their legalization in Ukraine.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanaa Abdel-Sadek Oraby ◽  
Nadia Aboul-Ftooh Aboul-Maaty ◽  
Hayam Ahmad Al-Sharawi

Abstract Background One of the parameters required for the assessment of food and feed safety is detection and identification of genetically modified organisms. Legislation in some countries necessitates detection and quantification of modification in food and feed samples. Scientists have raised concern about safety of antibiotic resistance marker (ARM) genes used for transformation of crops intended for human and animal consumption. In the present work two molecular approaches have been adopted: one exploratory; for detection and quantification of ARM genes in tested plant samples and the other confirmatory; to determine the specificity/reliability of the obtained results. Results Results revealed that primers for neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) and aminoglycoside 3″ adenyl-transferase (aadA) were amplified in the majority of the 36 DNA screened samples. Melting curve analysis using hygromycin phosphotransferase (aphIV) gene as target sequence for the fluorescent-based detection approach was performed to ensure reliability and specificity of this procedure and to confirm results obtained by using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Quantitative RT-PCR results and validation analysis followed, revealed that all of the tested DNA samples were not violating the European legislation for GMOs labeling (0.9%). Conclusions The results fully demonstrated the reproducibility, sensitivity/specificity of the adopted approaches for detection and quantification of even traces of GMO contents. Applying measurement uncertainty (MU) procedures presented in this work will help decision makers to ensure compliance with International Legislation and Regulations. This in its turn will facilitate and enhance trading with countries having compelling labeling regulations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 952-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Almeida ◽  
Luisa Massarani

Genetically modified organisms have been at the centre of a major public controversy, involving different interests and actors. While much attention has been devoted to consumer views on genetically modified food, there have been few attempts to understand the perceptions of genetically modified technology among farmers. By investigating perceptions of genetically modified organisms among Brazilian farmers, we intend to contribute towards filling this gap and thereby add the views of this stakeholder group to the genetically modified debate. A comparative analysis of our data and data from other studies indicate there is a complex variety of views on genetically modified organisms among farmers. Despite this diversity, we found variations in such views occur within limited parameters, concerned principally with expectations or concrete experiences regarding the advantages of genetically modified crops, perceptions of risks associated with them, and ethical questions they raise. We then propose a classification of prevailing profiles to represent the spectrum of perceptions of genetically modified organisms among farmers.


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