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Approaches in the risk assessment of genetically modified foods by the Hellenic Food Safety Authority

Varzakas, Theodoros H., Chryssochoidis, George M., Argyropoulos, D. (2007) Approaches in the risk assessment of genetically modified foods by the Hellenic Food Safety Authority. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 45 (4). pp. 530-542. ISSN 0278-6915. E-ISSN 1873-6351. (doi:10.1016/j.fct.2006.07.009) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:52808)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2006.07.009

Abstract

Risk analysis has become important to assess conditions and take decisions on control procedures. In this context it is considered a prerequisite in the evaluation of GM food. Many consumers worldwide worry that food derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may be unhealthy and hence regulations on GMO authorisations and labelling have become more stringent. Nowadays there is a higher demand for non-GM products and these products could be differentiated from GM products using the identity preservation system (IP) that could apply throughout the grain processing system. IP is the creation of a transparent communication system that encompasses HACCP, traceability and related systems in the supply chain. This process guarantees that certain characteristics of the lots of food (non-GM origin) are maintained “from farm to fork”.

This article examines the steps taken by the Hellenic Food Safety Authority to examine the presence of GMOs in foods. The whole integrated European legislation framework currently in place still needs to be implemented in Greece. Penalties should be enforced to those who import, process GMOs without special licence and do not label those products. Similar penalties should be enforced to those companies that issue false certificates beyond the liabilities taken by the food enterprises for farmers’ compensation.

We argue that Greece has no serious reasons to choose the use of GMOs due to the fact that the structural and pedologic characteristics of the Greek agriculture favour the biological and integrated cultivation more. Greece is not in favour of the politics behind coexistence of conventional and GM plants and objects to the use of GMOs in the food and the environment because the processor has a big burden in terms of money, time and will suffer a great deal in order to prove that their products are GMO free or that any contamination is adventitious or technically unavoidable.

Moreover, Greece owns a large variety of genetic material that should try to protect from patenting and commercialisation. Finally, we should be aware of the requirements of movement of GMOs within borders, i.e. GMOs grown or used in other countries but which are not intended to cross into Greece, since Greece is very close to countries that are non-EU. This is where the development of a new, integrated, trustworthy and transparent food quality control system will help to satisfy the societal demands for safe and quality products. On the other hand, Greece should not be isolated from any recent scientific technological development and should assess the possible advantages for some cultivation using a case by case approach.

Finally, the safety assessment of GM foods and feed has been discussed according to the risk assessment methodology applied by EFSA.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.fct.2006.07.009
Additional information: Unmapped bibliographic data: DB - Scopus [Field not mapped to EPrints]
Uncontrolled keywords: Genetically modified foods; Risk assessment; Hellenic food safety authority
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship and International Business
Depositing User: Kimberley Attard-Owen
Date Deposited: 07 Dec 2015 12:13 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:22 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/52808 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Chryssochoidis, George M..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9868-7119
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