Review on GE Crop Animal Feeding Studies

University of California scientist Alison Van Eenennaam reviewed the results of animal-feeding studies involving genetically engineered feeds. The paper was published in  the Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology.

According to Eenennaam, the 15-year history of GE feed use has proven that there are no unique risks associated to GE feeds. Thus, whole food/feed animal feeding studies on GE crops should be done only for GE crops where the new trait results in a sensible food safety concern that remains unanswered following all other analyses.

The expert also stressed that indiscriminately requiring long-term and target animal feeding studies is not scientifically justified and will have an inhibitory effect on the development and commercialization of potentially beneficial GE feed crops in the future. International GE regulations have focused on potential risks linked with GE technology. This leads to high regulatory compliance expense, slowing adoption of GE crops in developing countries. She recommended regulatory frameworks that would consider the benefits in addition to any unique risks associated with GE technology.

Get a copy of the review paper (open access) at http://www.jasbsci.com/content/4/1/37 and http://gmoanswers.com/studies/gmos-animal-agriculture-time-consider-both-costs-and-benefits-regulatory-evaluations.