European Food Safety Authority: A playing field for the biotech industry

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Excerpts from the 2010 Testbiotech report European Food Safety Authority: A playing field for the biotech industry are reproduced below and referenced elsewhere across the GMWatch Portal. The original report is available online at Testbiotech or can be downloaded directly. In summary, the report investigates conflicts of interest within the GMO Panel membership to demonstrate how the Panel's relationship with the biotech industry - and in particular via the influence of a task force of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) - resulted in comparative assessment being taken as the starting point in the EFSA guidelines on risk assessment of genetically engineered plants. Comparative assessment, an approach to risk assessment which assumes equivalence between conventional breeding and genetic engineering, has serious implications for the scientific rigour of research into the risks of genetically engineered plants. The authors of the report highlight the potential for further problems given the fact that the databank for such research was set up by the ILSI - an arrangement which 'does not appear to provide adequate protection from targeted manipulation by industry'. Additionally, the authors found that a document published by the EFSA to explain why feeding trials are not required to test for potential health impacts of genetically engineered plants 'was partially plagiarized from an ILSI paper'. The authors suggest that it is 'likely this is only the tip of the iceberg'.

The Testbiotech report explains that risk assessment required by EU regulations is premised on the precautionary principle and should therefore be designed to ensure safety for consumers and environment. The EFSA is tasked with 'the practical application of these regulations in the context of market applications'. Led by Suzy Renckens, the GMO Unit was established to oversee the GMO Panel, an expert panel originally chaired by Harry Kuiper of the RIKILT research institute at Wageningen UR. Risk assessment guidelines were published by the Panel in 2004, followed by further documents addressing other areas of risk assessment including environmental risk assessment, animal feeding trials, allergenicity risk and monitoring. Testbiotech cite an EU Commission report from 2006, observing that 'There has been a lot of criticism from various stakeholders that the work of EFSA is inadequate to fulfil EU requirements.' The authors explain how reports prepared by the GMO Panel have additionally 'failed to gain necessary majorities in the EU Council voting'.

The Testbiotech report identifies the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) and the former GMO Panel chair, Harry Kuiper, as the 'most relevant drivers' in terms of industry influence on EFSA guidelines, as will be outlined in more detail below.

How the ILSI impacts the EFSA risk assessment of genetically engineered plants

The authors of the Testbiotech report argue that 'The collaboration between ILSI and the GMO Panel has had a marked effect on EFSA,' referencing the claims of the ILSI itself as to the impact of their task force on EFSA guidelines for risk assessment.

As the Testbiotech report notes, the US-based ILSI maintains it is free from corporate influences:

The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a non-profit worldwide foundation established in 1978 to advance the understanding of scientific issues relating to nutrition, food safety, toxicology, risk assessment, and the environment. ILSI also works to provide the science base for global harmonization in these areas.

By bringing together scientists from academia, government, industry, and the public sector, ILSI seeks a balanced approach to solving problems of common concern for the well-being of the general public.

Despite such proclamations, the WHO publicly objected to what was perceived as close cooperation between the ILSI and the tobacco industry. The ILSI was at the centre of further controversy over the involvement of Diána Bánáti, a member of the EFSA management board. Bánáti subsequently stood down from the EFSA. It was reported in German media that the ILSI influenced risk assessment for potentially hazardous chemical compounds such as Bisphenol A.

The ILSI Task Force

The Testbiotech report authors argue 'there is no doubt that ILSI has a very close connection to industry', particularly in relation to the agri-biotechnology industry. The Task Force on biotechnology established by ILSI is comprised entirely of industry members, including BASF, Bayer CropSciences, Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto, Pioneer Hi-Bred/Dupont and Syngenta. As ILSI suggests, 'Although disbanded, the Task Force continues to have impact.'

ILSI's involvement in agri-biotechnology dates from at least 1996, around the time at which Monsanto began the commercial production of genetically engineered soy. 'At that time', the report authors note, 'agri-biotechnology faced the difficulty of opening up the European market for its new controversial products.'. In 1997, ILSI Europe established the Novel Foods Task Force to deal with the safety assessment of novel foods

The RIKILT team at [Wageningen UR|the University of Wageningen] in the Netherlands and their experts Harry Kuiper, Gijs Kleter and Ester Kok were among those working with ILSI. Harry Kuiper had already worked with ILSI in 1998, chairing a workshop on 'Detection methods for novel foods derived from genetically modified organisms' organised by the ILSI Europe Novel Food Task Force in collaboration with the ILSI International Food Biotechnology Committee. The Testbiotech report asserts that Harry Kuiper, Gijs Kleter and Ester Kok worked together for the ILSI from around 2001. They are also among the authors of a 2004 report for the ILSI Task Force, 'Nutritional and safety assessments of foods and feeds nutritionally improved through biotechnology'.

Contributors to the Task Force report, 2004

From a 2004 report by the Task Force of the ILSI International Food Biotechnology Committee.

Authors

• Bruce Chassy, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
• Jason Hlywka, Cantox, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
• Gijs Kleter, RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety, Wageningen Univ. and Research Center, Wageningen, The Netherlands
• Esther Kok, RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety, Wageningen Univ. and Research Center, Wageningen, The Netherlands
• Harry Kuiper, RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety, Wageningen Univ. and Research Center, Wageningen, The Netherlands
• Martina McGloughlin, Univ. of California, Davis, California, USA
• Ian Munro, Cantox, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
• Richard Phipps, Univ. of Reading, Reading, UK
• Jessica Reid, Cantox, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Contributors

• Kevin Glenn, Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Barbara Henry, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
• Ray Shillito, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

Task Force

• Robin Eichen Conn, Cargill, Wayzata, Minnesota, USA
• Kevin Glenn (Chair), Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Doug Hard, Renessen, Bannockburn, Illinois, USA
• Natalie Hubbard (Vice Chair), Dupont/Pioneer, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
• Ray Shillito, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
• Jeff Stein, Syngenta Seeds, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
• Jack Zabik, Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Scientific and technical editor

• Austin Lewis, Univ. of Nebraska (retired), Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

ILSI staff

• Lucyna Kurtyka, Senior Science Program Manager
• Pauline Rosen, Administrative Assistant

Contributors to the Task Force report, 2008

From a 2008 report by the Task Force of the ILSI International Food Biotechnology Committee:

Authors

• Bruce Chassy, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, Ill., U.S.A. Marceline Egnin, Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, Ala., U.S.A.
• Yong Gao, Monsanto Co., St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.
• Kevin Glenn, Monsanto Co., St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.
• Gijs Kleter, Wageningen Univ., The Netherlands
• Penelope Nestel, Inst. of Human Nutrition, Univ. of Southampton, U.K.
• Martina Newell-McGloughlin, Univ. of California, Davis, Calif., U.S.A.
• Richard Phipps, Univ. of Reading, Reading, U.K.
• Ray Shillito, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, N.C., U.S.A.

Task Force

• Bryan Delaney, Pioneer Hi-Bred/A DuPont Co., Johnston, Iowa, U.S.A.
• Kevin Glenn, Chair, Monsanto Co., St. Louis, Mo., U.S.A.
• Daland Juberg, Dow AgroSciences, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.A.
• Catherine Kramer, Syngenta Biotechnology, Research Triangle Park, N.C., U.S.A.
• David Russell, Renessen LLC, Bannockburn, Ill., U.S.A.
• Ray Shillito, Bayer CropScience, Research Triangle Park, N.C., U.S.A.

Scientific and technical editor

• Austin Lewis, Univ. of Nebraska (retired), Lincoln, Nebr., U.S.A.
• Christina West, Nashville, Tenn., U.S.A.

ILSI staff

• Lucyna K. Kurtyka, Senior Scientific Program Manager (until July 14, 2006)
• Marci Levine, Staff Scientist (after July 25, 2006)
• Melinda Thomas, Administrative Assistant (until August 14, 2006)
• Janice C. Johnson, Administrative Assistant, (after September 25, 2006)

Resources

• The original Testbiotech report, "European Food Safety Authority: A playing field for the biotech industry," 2010, accessed 9 January 2013.
• EU Press release IP/06/498, Brussels, 12 April 2006 "Commission proposes practical improvements to the way the European GMO legislative framework is implemented, 2006, accessed 12 January 2013.

Notes

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