Analysis and evaluation of new risks for the food chain and feed production

Goal

This project identifies and evaluates the aforementioned developments in terms of their potential consequences for the current assessment strategies. This project fulfils an identifying role for other projects within the toxicological characterisation of new foods and animal feeds theme.

Method

Desk studies:

• the identification of developments in the production of vegetable and animal products that pose new risks, for example the use of new breeding techniques.
• the provision of scientific and general advice to the authorities on the broad field of food and feed safety in relation to GMOs and other new foods and feeds (including synthetic biology products).
• the indication of the effects of scientific developments on existing and new integral risk-analysis strategies in support of existing and new policy governing new simple and complex food and feed products. Tracking the developments in the risk assessment of complex foods and feeds, for example in the use of omics strategies as an element of the risk assessment of these products.
• as the occasion arises, the provision of support to the Dutch and European authorities in avoiding or settling trade conflicts arising from GMO safety assessments.

Provision of advice on policy:

• the provision of advice to the national and international authorities and advisory committees on biotechnology risk assessments and the identification of the risks posed by new technologies.
• participation in EFSA GMO working groups.

Provision of advice to laboratories on measurement strategies:

• work is being carried out in cooperation with the toxicological characterisation project on the development of a decision-making tree suitable for case-by-case decisions on the appropriate approach – product analysis, effect analysis or a combination of the two – to the assessment of the safety of new crops and/or products derived from new crops.

Project results

• Advice
• Scientific publications and documents of relevance to policy
• Participation in a number of EFSA working groups
• The RIKILT Institute for Food Safety participates in the activities of a number of international, scientific platforms and working groups on behalf of the Netherlands