Genetically Modified Food and Food Safety

For my last post I have chosen to talk about a very controversial sector in Food Safety, Genetically Modified Food. The FDA regulates the safety of food for humans and animals, including foods produced from genetically engineered (GE) plants. (FDA) Foods from GE plants must meet the same food safety requirements as foods derived from traditionally bred plants. (FDA) A question may be how does the FDA regulate the genetically modified foods? The existing FDA safety requirements impose a clear legal duty on everyone in the farm to table continuum to market safe foods to consumers, regardless of the process by which such foods are created. It is unlawful to produce, process, store, ship or sell to consumers unsafe foods.(FDA)

In the Federal Register of May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22984), FDA published its "Statement of Policy: Foods Derived from New Plant Varieties" (the 1992 policy). (FDA) The 1992 policy clarified the agency's interpretation of the application of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to human foods and animal feeds derived from new plant varieties and provided guidance to industry on scientific and regulatory issues related to these foods. (FDA) The 1992 policy applied to all foods derived from all new plant varieties, including varieties that are developed using recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) technology. (FDA) This site refers to foods derived from plant varieties that are developed using rDNA technology as "bio-engineered foods." (FDA)

In the 1992 policy, FDA recommended that developers consult with FDA about bio-engineered foods under development; since issuance of the 1992 policy, developers have routinely done so. (FDA) In June 1996, FDA provided additional guidance to industry on procedures for these consultations (the consultation procedures). (FDA)  These procedures describe a process in which a developer who intends to commercialize a bio-engineered food meets with the agency to identify and discuss relevant safety, nutritional, or other regulatory issues regarding the bio-engineered food and then submits to FDA a summary of its scientific and regulatory assessment of the food; FDA evaluates the submission and responds to the developer by letter. (FDA)

In the Federal Register of January 18, 2001 (the pre-market notification proposal; 66 FR 4706), FDA issued a proposed rule that would require that developers submit a scientific and regulatory assessment of the bio engineered food 120 days before the bio-engineered food is marketed. (FDA) In the pre-market notification proposal, FDA recommends that developers continue the practice of consulting with the agency before submitting the required pre-market notice.

Most bio-engineered plants are considered "regulated articles" under regulations of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). (FDA) At some stage of research and development of a regulated article that is intended for use as a food crop, a developer requests from APHIS a determination of the article's regulatory status. (FDA)

The safe use of pesticidal substances is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (FDA) Thus, a bio-engineered food that is the subject of a consultation with FDA may contain an introduced pesticidal substance also known as a plant-incorporated protectant (PIP) that is subject to review by EPA. (FDA)

What are we willing to subject ourselves to? Is there any benefits to Genetically Modified Foods? In many ways GM foods enable the population of the planet to grow and reap the benefits but is there a cost? Without Genetically Modified Food sources, would we have enough food to feed the population? There is two sides to every story and we need to review and research about Food Safety from secure, reliable sources to make our own choices A few sites that could be used in any research would be articles from the FDA and the USDA.





Reference

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodScienceResearch/GEPlants/

Steroid Hormones and Food Safety

Since the 1950s, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a number of steroid hormone drugs for use in beef cattle and sheep, including natural estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and their synthetic versions. (FDA) These drugs increase the animals’ growth rate and the efficiency by which they convert the feed they eat into meat. (FDA) The principle of using steroids is very controversial due in part to people wanting to know what is in their food however with the growing population of the United States and also other countries around the world, it could be said that it is a necessity to use hormones to provide enough meat to the population.

The FDA approves these drugs only after information and/or studies have shown that the food from the treated animals is safe for people to eat, and that the drugs do not harm the treated animal or the environment. (FDA) The drugs also have to be effective, meaning that they work as intended. (FDA) The labeling for each product provides all instructions for safe and effective use and is approved by FDA. (FDA) For each approved product, the FDA also makes available to the public via its website a Freedom of Information Summary that summarizes the information that FDA used to determine that the drug is safe for the treated animals, the animal products (edible tissues such as meat) are safe for humans to eat, and that the product is effective. (FDA)

Some of the approved drugs are naturally produced throughout life in people and animals, such as estradiol (estrogen), progesterone, and testosterone. (FDA)These natural hormones are necessary for normal development, growth, and reproduction. (FDA) People are not at risk from eating food from animals treated with these drugs because the amount of additional hormone following drug treatment is very small compared with the amount of natural hormones that are normally found in the meat of untreated animals and that are naturally produced in the human body. (FDA)

Some of the approved drugs are synthetic versions of the natural hormones, such as trenbolone acetate and zeranol. (FDA) Just like the natural hormone implants, before FDA approved these drugs, FDA required information and/or toxicological testing in laboratory animals to determine safe levels in the animal products that we eat (edible tissues). (FDA) Furthermore, FDA required that the manufacturers demonstrate that the amount of hormone left in each edible tissue after treatment is below the appropriate safe level. (FDA) As described above, a safe level is a level which would be expected to have no harmful effect in humans. (FDA)

With everything there is the good, bad and ugly. In order to make the right decision for yourself you need to do research about what is in your food and what you are willing to risk. Every source of meat is regulated by the Department of Agriculture and also regulated by the FDA. 


Reference
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2016, from http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/ProductSafetyInformation/ucm055436.htm

Introduction to Food Safety

Food Safety and the food sector of the United States is ever changing. At the center, is the United States Department of Agriculture or more commonly called the USDA. Under the USDA's control, the Food Safety is controlled by two departments; food processing and food distribution. The USDA has many jobs in making sure that the food we eat is the best quality possible through inspecting imports, exports, conducting risk assessments and educating the general public. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)  will ensure that the nation's meat, poultry and processed egg supply is wholesome, safe and properly labeled. (USDA) 

USDA continues to protect consumers from the dangers of E. coli contamination by adopting of a zero tolerance policy for six additional strains [E. coli O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145] of the pathogen in raw beef products. (USDA) Prohibiting them just like to E. coli O157:H7. (USDA) By having more strict policies the estimated 25,000 cases of food borne illnesses is prevented through these measures. Implementation of a "test and hold" policy in December 2012 prevents the recall of unsafe foods. (USDA) Facilities are now required to hold product until microbiological testing can determine it is safe to release meat, poultry and egg products into commerce. (USDA) This will dramatically lower the outbreaks of sickness in consumers. USDA continues to enhance the Public Health Information System, a modernized, comprehensive database that allows the agency to identify public health trends and food safety violations more effectively at the nearly 6,200 plants where the Food Safety and Inspection Service ensures the wholesomeness of the products produced. (USDA) 

Operation of the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, the USDA Food Safety Discovery Zone traveling exhibit and the FSIS Web-based virtual representative Ask Karen are key components of USDA's consumer education programs. (USDA) The Hotline responded to over 80,000 inquiries (calls, webmail and chats) in fiscal year 2013, Ask Karen views totaled more than 2.35 million. (USDA) In that time, USDA Food Safety Discovery Zone outreach events in the national capital region exposed approximately 619,539 consumers to food safety messages. (USDA) The USDA is also a major contributor of consumer food safety to the content presented on the website, FoodSafety.gov.  (USDA) To further engage consumers about the importance of food safety at home, USDA teamed with the Ad Council to develop the Food Safe Families campaign, a national, multi-media food safety public education campaign to prevent cross-contamination and to ensure proper cooking and chilling. (USDA) The campaign is developed in English and Spanish to reach a broader group of people. The campaign motivates consumers to take four simple steps--clean, separate, cook and chill--to protect themselves and their families from foodborne illness. (USDA) Food Safe Families is entering its fourth year and has been seen or heard by more than 1 billion since its June 2011 launch. (USDA)

At USDA, prevention is the anchor, and science is the basis of every food safety decision made. (USDA) Our scientists in FSIS, Agriculture Research Service (ARS), and in other agencies inform our approach to food safety. (USDA) USDA conducts and funds food safety research to generate real-world results for both government and the private sector. (USDA) The department is particularly proud of recent work that patented new technology that protects pasteurized liquid eggs, examined the safety of beef trim imports and efforts that led to the publication of the first draft genomes of six dangerous non-O157 strains of E. coli. (USDA)

The importance of the USDA is critical to being protected against food borne illnesses. The department is the first line of defense in preventing issues that are cause by disease or infections in the consumer products that are a result of animal processing. Without the USDA, the safety of food in the United States would not be up to par and it would ulimately, raise health care costs and eventually kill a portion of the people infected with the food borne abnormalities. 

Reference

Food Safety. USDA. (n.d.). Retrieved February 18, 2016, from http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal  /usda/usdahome?navid=food-safety