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Response to a feeding study in pigs by Carman et al

Response to a feeding study in pigs by Carman et al (July 2013) In June 2013, Dr Judy Carman and co-authors published a paper in the Journal of Organic Systems on a feeding study in pigs. The pigs were fed either a mixture of GM corn and GM soy or an equivalent non-GM diet for nearly 23 weeks. The GM diet was derived from plant lines approved for food use in Australia and New Zealand (and in other countries). There were no differences between pigs fed the GM and non-GM diets for feed intake, weight gain, mortality and blood biochemistry parameters but the authors attributed severe stomach inflammation and enlarged uteri to the GM diet. FSANZ response - key points 

  • The authors have not provided convincing evidence that stomach inflammation was present. The stomach data, as…

    Published 16 January 2014

Response to a feeding study in pigs by Carman et al

Response to a feeding study in pigs by Carman et al (July 2013) In June 2013, Dr Judy Carman and co-authors published a paper in the Journal of Organic Systems on a feeding study in pigs. The pigs were fed either a mixture of GM corn and GM soy or an equivalent non-GM diet for nearly 23 weeks. The GM diet was derived from plant lines approved for food use in Australia and New Zealand (and in other countries). There were no differences between pigs fed the GM and non-GM diets for feed intake, weight gain, mortality and blood biochemistry parameters but the authors attributed severe stomach inflammation and enlarged uteri to the GM diet. FSANZ response - key points 

  • The authors have not provided convincing evidence that stomach inflammation was present. The stomach data, as…

    Published 16 January 2014

Response to Heinemann et al on the regulation of GM crops and foods developed using gene silencing

Response to Heinemann et al on the regulation of GM crops and foods developed using gene silencing (May 2013) Key points

  • A recent scientific article (Heinemann et al, 2013) claims that small double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) generated in GM plants as a result of using gene silencing techniques can create biosafety risks that are not being adequately assessed by regulators such as Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). They suggest changes to the safety assessment process to address their concerns.
  • FSANZ has carefully examined the arguments put forward in the article, and has thoroughly researched the scientific literature on gene silencing. The weight of scientific evidence published to date does…

    Published 16 January 2014

Food derived using new breeding techniques - review

Food derived using new breeding techniques - review We have been reviewing how the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) applies to food derived using new breeding techniques (NBTs). NBTs are new approaches in plant and animal breeding that were not in use when Standard 1.5.2 - Food produced using gene technology - was first developed nearly 20 years ago. Since early 2018 we have been consulting with the key stakeholders and the community to look at how food derived from NBTs should be captured for pre-market approval under Standard 1.5.2 and whether the definitions for 'food produced using gene technology' and 'gene technology' in Standard 1.1.2 - 2 should be changed to improve clarity about which foods require pre-market approval. In February…

Published 7 October 2021

Role of animal feeding studies

Role of animal feeding studies While FSANZ doesn't require animal feeding studies, we do acknowledge that there may be future GM foods where these studies may be useful. A scientifically-informed comparative assessment of GM foods with their conventional counterparts can generally identify any potential adverse health effects or differences requiring further evaluation. For most GM foods, animal studies are unlikely to contribute any further useful information. In June 2007, FSANZ convened an expert panel to consider whether animal feeding studies are necessary to determine the safety of GM foods. The expert panel concluded that we should continue our case-by-case assessment of GM foods based on the best available science.…

Published 1 June 2016

Safety assessments of GM foods

Safety assessments of GM foods How does FSANZ ensure GM foods are safe? FSANZ has established a rigorous and transparent process for assessing the safety of GM foods. The safety assessment is undertaken in accordance with internationally established scientific principles and guidelines developed through the work of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, World Health Organization (WHO) and the codex Alimentarius Commission. The data requirements to guide the safety assessment are provided in Guideline 3.5.1 of the Application Handbook and additional information on these data requirements is provided in Part 2.3 (GM Applications - Additional Information…

Published 5 February 2021

Response to Seralini paper

Response to Seralini paper (October 2016) In September 2012 Professor Gilles Eric Séralini and co-authors published a study in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology. On 29 November 2013 the journal retracted the paper and stated the following: 'The journal Food and Chemical Toxicology retracts the article 'Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize,' which was published in this journal in November 2012. This retraction comes after a thorough and time-consuming analysis of the published article and the data it reports, along with an investigation into the peer-review behind the article. The Editor in-Chief deferred making any public statements regarding this article until this investigation was complete, and the authors were notified of the findings.'…

Published 14 October 2016

Food derived from GM plants containing stacked genes

Food derived from GM plants containing stacked genes (August 2019) What is gene stacking? Gene stacking refers to the process of combining genes of interest into a single plant line. It is used in conventional as well as genetically modified (GM) crops to develop improved lines. A stacked GM line contains at least two novel genes. Stacked genes are sometimes referred to as stacked events; gene stacking as gene pyramiding How are the genes combined? Traditional plant breeding is the most common way to stack novel genes in GM crops. Individual GM plant lines, each expressing a desired trait or multiple traits, are cross fertilised to produce a new generation of plants exhibiting the traits of the parent lines. Examples of stacked GM lines generated using traditional breeding include:

  • Roundup…

    Published 21 August 2019

Annexe with the Department of Agriculture on imported food

Annexe with the Department of Agriculture on imported food An arrangement for coordination of procedures and communication of imported food issues between - Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the Department of Agriculture

Imported foods

Imported foods Foods imported for sale in Australia must comply with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). All imported foods must also comply with strict biosecurity requirements. Food importers are responsible for ensuring that all food they import complies with the relevant standards in the Code. For all foods on sale in Australia, whether locally produced or imported, state and territory departments and agencies are responsible for enforcing the Code. Complaints about potentially non-compliant food, including imported food, can be directed to your relevant state or territory enforcement agency. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) administers a risk-based border inspection program - the Imported Food Inspection Scheme - to ensure that food importers only import…

Published 4 May 2023