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2006-12-04 |

Runaway GM crops can pose food-safety risks

Genetically modified crops can produce food with superior qualities, but they may also pose food-safety risks if they mix with other crops, says a University of Guelph plant agriculture professor. “As pharmaceutical and industrial traits are introduced into crop plants, there will in some cases be a greater risk that Canadians will be directly affected by gene flow from crop to crop,” said Rene Van Acker, chair of the Department of Plant Agriculture, whose research focuses on managing the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops. “You shouldn’t have to worry about having pharmaceuticals in your morning cereal.” Unlike in Europe, where there are strict regulations around confining GM crops, Canada is still developing regulations for novel trait confinement, said Van Acker. Novel plant traits include anything from types of pharmaceutical proteins to herbicide tolerance. “When you have unconfined release, traits can move and show up in unexpected places,” he said. “With some of the newer novel traits that may pose direct risks, a confined release system needs to be put in place.”

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2006-12-04 |

Runaway GM crops can pose food-safety risks

Genetically modified crops can produce food with superior qualities, but they may also pose food-safety risks if they mix with other crops, says a University of Guelph plant agriculture professor. “As pharmaceutical and industrial traits are introduced into crop plants, there will in some cases be a greater risk that Canadians will be directly affected by gene flow from crop to crop,” said Rene Van Acker, chair of the Department of Plant Agriculture, whose research focuses on managing the co-existence of GM and non-GM crops. “You shouldn’t have to worry about having pharmaceuticals in your morning cereal.” Unlike in Europe, where there are strict regulations around confining GM crops, Canada is still developing regulations for novel trait confinement, said Van Acker. Novel plant traits include anything from types of pharmaceutical proteins to herbicide tolerance. “When you have unconfined release, traits can move and show up in unexpected places,” he said. “With some of the newer novel traits that may pose direct risks, a confined release system needs to be put in place.”

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