2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center

In February 2001, the Royal Society of Canada published its report containing recommendations to enhance the regulatory system for foods derived via recombinant DNA technology. Many scientific uncertainties remain in the assessment of the safety of GM food products. The Expert Panel argued that a precautionary approach to the regulation of these technologies is therefore appropriate. This would require careful research and rigorous testing to reduce the uncertainties, and to maintain public confidence in the management of potential harm to human, animal or environmental health. Also recommended was a strengthening of the scientific basis of the regulatory process by increasing the transparency and providing validation of the risk assessments upon which regulatory decisions are based. The Panel also paid close attention to the controversial principle of "substantial equivalence" as a regulatory concept, and agreed with the concerns about the lack of specificity of this comparative term. The Panel concluded that it would be preferable to conduct a rigorous analysis of the consequences of the presence of the transgene, by employing direct testing for harmful outcomes. This approach has the merit of directly addressing the potential for harm, which is the primary motivation for the regulatory process, and would not require any invocation of the concept of "substantial equivalence" in the risk assessment process.