Statement of
Jeffrey Barach, Ph.D.
Vice President, Special Projects
National Food Processors Association
before the
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
United States Senate
Hearing to Discuss the Development of Biotechnology and its Potential Applications in the Agriculture and Food Sectors
October 7, 1999
Mr. Chairman: I am Dr. Jeffrey Barach, Vice President of Special Projects for the National Food Processors Association (NFPA). NFPA appreciates this opportunity to provide input on the important topic of food biotechnology, particularly as it relates to food science, food safety and to its potential applications.
NFPA serves as the scientific and technical trade association for the $460 billion U.S. food processing industry. We operate three laboratory centers and have within our workforce approximately 75 scientific and regulatory experts. NFPA's primary focus is on industry issues related to food science and food safety, so it is highly appropriate that we provide input on behalf of the processed food industry at this hearing.
The science of food biotechnology is extremely important in devising new ways to increase food production, improve nutrient content and provide better processing and storage characteristics. Our member companies remain supportive of this technology and the tremendous benefits that biotechnology-improved crops are offering farmers around the world today. The food industry's commitment is two-fold: to agricultural biotechnology today as well as to the future products right around the corner that will offer remarkable benefits to growers, processors and consumers.
As the CEO of one of our technology provider members (Chad Holliday, DuPont) stated in a recent speech, "We see biotechnology as a critical enabling technology that is very broad and offers many platforms for building a sustainable future world". The food industry shares this vision of striving for new agricultural and food science developments to achieve focused and responsible technical goals.
Safety of Foods Derived Through Biotechnology
In 1998, the National Academy of Sciences produced a report on "Ensuring Safe Food from Production to Consumption." The Academy's definition of safe food reads "Food that is wholesome, that does not exceed an acceptable level of risk associated with pathogenic organisms or chemical and physical hazards, and whose supply is the result of the combined activities of Congress, regulatory agencies, multiple industries, universities, private organizations, and consumers."
The U.S. food supply is commonly acknowledged to be one of the safest and most abundant food supplies in the world, and consumers have a right to expect that all foods
on the market are safe to consume. This expectation also includes foods produced through agricultural and food biotechnology. It is clear to the industry that food safety concerns related to biotech food products should be considered and addressed in the same manner as other foods, with the common goal of continuing to ensure the safest U.S. food supply possible.
Oversight that is scientifically and legally sound and that protects public health while not inhibiting innovation is key. In the United States, as many as three agencies oversee and regulate the safety of foods derived through biotechnology. The three agencies are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). FDA's safety reviews can be characterized as "safe to eat", USDA's as "safe to grow", and EPA's as "safe for the environment."
The primary oversight for safety of the food "to eat" is through a consultation process with the FDA as defined in their 1992 policy on food biotechnology. FDA confirmed that bioengineered foods pose the same kinds of scientific and regulatory issues raised by non-bioengineered foods. Thus, FDA regulates foods that have been genetically modified or engineered no differently than foods created by conventional means. During the consultation and review process, the safety of the proposed food or food ingredient derived through the use of biotechnology is scrutinized.
As part of the overall strategy, the Agency decided that companies developing genetically engineered foods would go through a special evaluation and review in FDA if:
· The gene transfer produces unexpected genetic effects;
· The levels of toxicants in the food are significantly higher than present in other edible varieties of the same species;
· Nutrients in the bioengineered food differ from those in traditional varieties;
· The sources of the newly introduced genetic material comes from a food plant associated with allergies;
· The bioengineered food differs significantly in composition from food of comparable varieties;
· The food contains marker genes that may reduce the therapeutic effects of clinically useful antibiotics;
· The plants are developed to make substances like pharmaceuticals or polymers, and will also be used for food; or
· The food to be used for animal feed has changes in nutrients or toxicants.
Keep in mind that foods produced using biotechnology also must meet all other rigorous safety requirements FDA, as well as USDA, places on all foods marketed in this country today. Biotech foods are held to these same high standards.
In 1990 an article in the June issue of Science by then-FDA commissioner Dr. David Kessler and others at FDA outlined the approach to ensuring the safety of foods developed through biotechnology. At that time, biotech foods were just approaching the marketplace. Some people had questions as to the safety of these foods and the level of oversight provided by the regulatory agencies. Subsequently, the process for overseeing the safety of food developed through biotechnology has worked -- and worked well. In September 24th remarks at the European Policy Center in Brussels, U.S. Ambassador David Aaron proclaimed our country's position when he said "ten years of U.S. experience with biotech products has shown us that biotech foods developed and in use in the U.S. present no food safety risks beyond those of their 'natural' counterparts. There is simply no credible evidence to the contrary".
Labeling
FDA's policy states that no additional food labeling information is needed to identify foods that are the product of biotechnology, unless the product's nutritional value has been significantly altered, the product contains a known food allergen, or the common or usual name no longer applies. The food processing industry strongly supports this current FDA policy on labeling requirements for biotech foods. We believe the policy is science-based and is designed to offer the consumer material information when issues of health, safety, and food allergens need to be addressed on the product's label. It is important to note that voluntary labeling of foods is currently permitted, and segments of the industry can be expected to utilize such voluntary label statements to achieve product distinction for certain niche markets.
Conclusion
As I noted earlier, it is widely recognized that the United States enjoys one of the safest and most abundant food supplies in the world. This welcome consequence is in no small part due to some 93 years of oversight, beginning with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1906, the birth of the FDA in 1940, and the many advances between and after.
NFPA strongly urges that the U.S. food regulatory system continue this strong science-based focus on the safety of all food products -- assessing where true risks lie and how to best address and resolve those risks -- rather than diverting already stretched resources to mitigate unsubstantiated claims against the safety of biotech foods made by technology critics. With more than a decade of experience in regard to the use of biotechnology, the industry continues to feel strongly that food safety concerns regarding food produced through agricultural and food biotechnology are best included in the context of ensuring that all foods marketed in the United States are safe. Consumers deserve no less.
As the technology continues to advance, we remain supportive of further anticipated benefits of biotech foods for consumers. It is our belief that both the development and growing consumer awareness of such benefits will further assist in public acceptance of this vital technology.
Mr. Chairman, we appreciate the opportunity to testify on this important issue.
Thank you.