SPEC: Food Safety and Security Group

healthy cities are our future

Genetically Modified Food

[last updated: Nov 12/08]

Background on GMO’s

The term ‘genetically modified’ or ‘genetically engineered’ refers to a complex process of gene manipulation, whereby desirable genetic traits are selectively rearranged, taken from one species and given to another. The procedures for genetically modifying seeds were developed in the 1970’s, and the 1990’s saw the beginnings of this biotechnology being used in commercial food production. The technology has been heralded as an answer to global food security, and as having the positive effect of increased agricultural production; through the control of pests and increased resistance of plants to disease and to certain herbicides. However, concerns about environmental damage, unknown health risks, and commercial monopolization have given rise to controversy and debate.

During the 1990’s, as commercial GM crops became a reality, the resistance to herbicides and the reduction of pesticides were major selling points for the GM seeds, on behalf of the stakeholders. A representative of the company Monsanto declared that “the whole purpose is to reduce pesticides and increase yields.” Despite concerns and criticism as to the effects of GM processes, voiced from the beginning of this ‘biotechnical breakthrough’, companies promoting them were adamant that GM crops were essentially the same as the non-GM counterparts. An Article from Globe and Mail cited the company manager of public relations for Monsanto as saying “Monsanto’s crop (of GM canola) is a demonstration project to show farmers that herbicide resistant canola is just like the regular plant.”

What has followed in the years succeeding the initial implementation of commercial GM crops provides evidence that neither pesticide reduction, nor the claim of bio-identity between GM and non-GM plants is true. In fact, pesticide use has been seen to increase because of GM crops. And, when altering the genetic make-up of a species, ultimately what is being done is creating a new species that did not previously exist. The argument that a GM crop and a non-GM crop are somehow one and the same does not provide an adequate basis on which we can assume that GM crops are harmless to our health and our environment.

There are a multitude of concerns about possible consequences of GM crop production. David Suzuki notes in his book Good News for a Change, that predictions of possible effects include “anti-biotic resistance up and down the food chain,” and the potential for the destruction of “the ability of large numbers of plant species to ever reproduce themselves again.” We just don’t know what long term health consequences may ensue, be it increased cancer rates due to heightened pesticide use, human resistance to antibiotics, or allergic reactions, to name a few.

Canada’s Policy on GM Food Products

Food labeling in Canada falls within the jurisdictional boundaries of both the federal and provincial governments. There are copious acts and pieces of legislation affecting labeling at both levels. These include the Quebec Charter of the French Language, the Federal Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act, the Fish Inspection Act, and the Canadian Agricultural Act. The main piece of legislation regarding GM labeling is the Canadian Food and Drugs Act. Under the Food and Drugs Act, the two key bodies dealing with food safety are Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Health Canada works to “establish policies, regulations and standards related to the safety and nutritional quality of all food sold in Canada.” The CFIA “is responsible for enforcing the food safety policies and standards that Health Canada sets.” Because Health Canada deals with the safety requirements of GM food products, it is important to understand how such an assessment is framed.

Health Canada regulates the safety of genetically modified food items through designating them ‘novel foods’. There are three criteria that designate a food ‘novel’. These are, a “food resulting from a process not previously used for food..., products that do not have a history of safe use as a food..., and foods that have been modified by genetic manipulation.” So, what makes a novel food safe? Health Canada evaluates the safety of a novel food through a comparison with a food that is not novel, a method known as the ‘Standard Equivalency Test.’ This means that, if considered close enough to a food already deemed safe for consumption, the GM product is approved for sale to the Canadian public, and does not require any labeling stating that the item is genetically modified. If any risk to health arose, the GM product would be labeled in accordance to pre-GM risk designations; for example, if the product proposed a certain allergy risk, it would be labeled with an allergy risk warning. Potential long-term risks are not a part of the assessment. To date, no genetically modified food product for sale has been labeled as genetically modified, and no application for the sale of a GM product has been turned down based on health risks. There are 81 GM food products accepted as meeting sale requirements in Canada. It is estimated that around 70 percent of processed foods contain genetically engineered ingredients. Without labeling, we have no means of measuring and identifying long-term risks.

The Royal Society of Canada, an organization of Canadian scientists and scholars, has addressed the need for improvement on the ‘standard equivalence’ test, currently the leading scientific evaluation for the safety of GE foods. In 2001, the Expert Panel on the Future of Food Biotechnology released a report criticizing the Canadian regulatory system. Panel member Conrad Brunk, of the University of Waterloo, stated “When it comes to human and environmental safety there should be clear evidence of the absence of risks; the mere absence of evidence is not enough. The onus is clearly on the government to establish testing and approval mechanisms that meet the highest scientific standards.” Despite the opinions of the panel, the Canadian regulatory continues to put the onus of proof upon the opponent, throwing all caution to the wind.

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