The Food Standards Agency Board has met to discuss and decide on aspects of the new process to regulate the use of precision-bred organisms (PBOs) for use in food and feed. Following agreement on the Board’s preferred approach, detailed proposals will be subject to public consultation before the FSA formally provides advice to Ministers.
Speaking after the meeting, Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the FSA said, “We are developing a system which will allow us to provide sufficient scrutiny, so we can be confident that precision-bred products that make it through the authorisation process are safe for people to eat”.
NIAB has welcomed the progress made at the meeting, saying it paved the way for a more streamlined and evidence-based approach to regulating food and feed products developed using new precision-breeding techniques such as gene-editing. NIAB Chief Executive Professor Mario Caccamo commented, “It is difficult to overstate the significance of these technologies for crop genetic research and innovation in this country. By adopting one of the most progressive and enabling regulatory systems for gene-edited products in the world, and with such an internationally recognized research base in plant genetic science, England could genuinely be on course to become one of the best places globally to invest in agri-food research and innovation”.
The British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) also welcomed the proposals, saying the approach recommended by the FSA followed the science and could unlock significant investment and economic activity in the use of precision breeding techniques. BSPB chairman Robin Wood said, “The plans unveiled at today’s board meeting confirm a more proportionate, science-based approach to approving precision-bred products for marketing as food and feed. Until very recently, there were serious concerns that the FSA was planning to require separate risk assessment, expert committee scrutiny, public consultation, approval by both Houses of Parliament and Secretary of State sign-off for each and every precision-bred product”.
However, the Soil Association said that it had ‘deep concerns’ regarding the FSA’s approach to the identification, traceability and labelling of PBOs. Soil Association policy officer Lucia Monje-Jelfs said, “Without sufficient labelling and traceability requirements, they will not be able to meet their obligations to protect public safety and guard against food fraud. It will also be a failure to address consumers genuine concerns and their wish to maintain freedom of choice”.
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