Safety assessment of foods derived from genetically modified microorganisms

A Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Foods Derived from Biotechnology – Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Genetically Modified Microorganisms (GMMs) was held at the Headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva from 24 – 28 September 2001. A total of 27 experts, including authors of discussion papers, participated in the Consultation. The complete list of participants is given in Annex 1.

Ms Ann Kern, Executive Director, Cluster of Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments, opened the Consultation on behalf of Directors-General of WHO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Ms Kern stated that WHO and FAO have been organizing Consultations of this kind since 1990 to provide scientific and technical guidance to Member States and to the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Ms Kern also expressed the appreciation of the two Organizations to the Government of Japan for its generosity in supplying additional funding for this Consultation. She acknowledged the interest of Member States in these sometimes hotly debated issues, and the need for sound scientific advice developed and formulated by the Expert Consultations upon which Governments can base their discussions. Clear assessment and communication of scientific data is becoming increasingly important so that the scientific risk assessment process is accurately reflected in the risk management process. Ms Kern suggested that the issues of safety and nutritional assessment of foods derived from biotechnology would be even more important in the near future with the rapid development of new foods with potential benefits related to health.

The Consultation elected Dr Ian Munro as Chairperson and Dr Bodil Lund Jacobsen, Professor Ingolf Nes, Dr Ruud Valyasevi and Dr Christopher Viljoen as Rapporteurs. The Consultation also decided to ask all participants to assist Rapporteurs by drafting each of the sections of the report of the Consultation. Dr Thomas Cebula and Dr James Maryanski (USA) and Dr William Yan (Canada) took part in the discussions through teleconference from their countries.

All participants completed a Declaration of Interest as defined by FAO and WHO.