Biotech Updates

ILSI Reports on Safety Assessments of Biotech Foods

November 23, 2007

Five case studies of biotechnology derived crops with improved nutritional value show that the comparative safety assessment process endorsed by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a valid approach. This was the main conclusion of “Nutritional and safety assessments of foods and feeds nutritionally improved through biotechnology: Case studies: Executive summary of a task force report by the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, D.C.”  ILSI is a is a nonprofit, worldwide foundation that seeks to improve the well-being of the general public through the advancement of science.

The article published in the November/December 2007 issue of the Journal of Food Science discusses the type and extent of data that are appropriate for a scientifically sound comparative safety assessment using scientific results published since the 2004 ILSI report. The full report will appear in the January 2008 issue of “Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety”.

See a press release at http://members.ift.org/IFT/Pubs/Newsletters/weekly/nl_111407.htm.  A copy of the abstract is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00579.x