Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2001;45(6):1-20
In recent years, the safety assessment of foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has often been the subject of strategy papers by international bodies (WHO, FDA) which state that the presence of DNA from GMOs per se does not raise health concerns. Questions arise as to whether the consumption of DNA in approved novel foods and novel food ingredients derived from GMOs can be regarded as being as safe as the consumption of DNA in existing foods.
At the initiative of the ILSI Europe Novel Foods Task Force, an expert group prepared a review paper which was discussed at a workshop on 26–28 June 2000 in Limelette, Belgium. Workshop participants agreed on an executive summary and a list of conclusions, which have been incorporated into the document. It reviews the chemical structure of DNA and its occurrence in food as well as possible consequences of the presence in food of naked DNA related to its structure and function.
Information reviewed in this paper did not indicate any safety concerns associated with the ingestion of DNA per se from GMOs resulting from the use of currently available recombinant DNA techniques in the food chain. This paper provides the specialist with a framework to facilitate discussion, on a case-by-case basis, of the safety of foods with GMOs or derivatives containing DNA from GMOs.
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