Information - The Safety of Genetically Modified Food Crops

Before a new agricultural or food product can be produced and marketed, it is subjected to thorough safety assessments to protect humans, animals and the environment. The government categorizes genetically modified products as "novel" products. This term covers products that have not been previously available for sale in Canada, or are produced by a new process, such as genetic engineering.

Health Canada

Under the Food and Drugs Act, Health Canada has established a stringent process for evaluating the safety of foods derived through genetic modification (often referred to as biotechnology-derived foods or novel foods). The specific criteria for the safety assessment of such foods are outlined in the Health Canada publication "Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods."

Health Canada conducts a thorough safety assessment of each biotechnology-derived food before it enters the marketplace to ensure there are no health and safety concerns. To date 50 genetically modified foods have been approved for use in Canada.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

There are five acts under which biotechnology products are regulated by the CFIA: the Feeds Act, Fertilizers Act, Seeds Act, Health of Animals Act and the Plant Protection Act. The CFIA regulates seeds, plants, animals, veterinary biologics, fertilizers and feeds, including those derived from biotechnology. The CFIA carries out safety assessments to evaluate new agricultural products for their efficacy and the safety of the worker/bystanders, animals and the environment. The guidelines and assessment criteria for individual agricultural products are published and available on the CFIA website. The CFIA is also involved in post-approval inspection (e.g. product labelling, facilities, field trials, etc.) and the licensing of manufacturing facilities. To date, 36 genetically modified plants have been approved for environmental release and for livestock feed usage. An additional 3 plants have been approved for livestock feed usage only, for example, cotton seeds used for feed but not for growing.

The Safety Assessment Approach

The safety assessment of foods developed using genetic modification includes the following considerations:

• how the food crop was developed, including the molecular biological data which characterizes the genetic change;
• composition of the novel food compared to non-modified counterpart foods;
• nutritional information for the novel food compared to non-modified counterparts;
• potential for new toxins; and
• potential for causing allergic reaction.

In assessing the safety of GM foods, we undertake a detailed scientific assessment. We examine how the food was developed, including a full description of the genes involved in the modification and their integration into the modified product; we assess the composition of the product and its nutritional quality; and we assess the potential for the production of toxic or allergenic products. Only when we are completely satisfied do we approve the product.

Additional research or testing can be required if Health Canada scientists are not satisfied at any stage in the safety assessment process. Only if all of Health Canada's stringent criteria are met is a novel food allowed access to the Canadian market.

The safety assessment process is based upon principles developed through international expert consultations carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The Government of Canada is committed to the ongoing process of ensuring that its regulations of genetically modified foods are appropriate for the state of the science and the types of food and plant products that are being developed through research. As part of this commitment, Health Canada has been engaged in formal consultations over the past eight years regarding the assessment and approval of genetically-modified foods. This has resulted in Health Canada strengthening the assessment system for novel foods by making mandatory a practice of pre-market notification and assessment that has been accepted and observed by the food industry over the last eight years. As the science continues to evolve, so will we.