How is the potential for long term effects of genetically modified foods on humans considered in the safety assessment process?
As is the case with any food or health product, it is Health Canada’s mandate to monitor potential long-term health trends associated with exposure to a breadth of product areas – including but not limited to – biotechnology products. Many of the issues raised by foods resulting from the application of biotechnology are equally applicable to foods produced by conventional means. Potential food safety issues are those associated with toxic or allergenic compounds which are present already in the food supply. Given that the application of genetic modification does not introduce unique risks, the potential for long term effects of these foods are no different than that for conventional foods which have been safely part of the Canadian diet for a long time. Therefore, there is no current evidence to indicate that long term studies are needed to ensure the safety of foods produced using this technology. Health Canada has established a comprehensive safety assessment approach that addresses
