How does FSANZ consider this issue in the GM food safety assessment?
The main objective of a GM food safety assessment is to identify whether new or altered hazards are present in the food as a result of the genetic modification, and if present to determine what risk, if any, they may pose to human health. The key issue therefore is whether the occurrence of recombinant DNA in food poses any greater risk to human health, than that posed by the significantly larger amount of non-recombinant DNA already present in food. In general, FSANZ considers the risk to be equivalent between recombinant and non-recombinant DNA. The recombinant DNA sequences that are used to produce GM foods are fully characterised by FSANZ during the safety assessment. Any recombinant DNA sequences which may raise safety concerns if ingested will be identified during that process.
