Food biotechnology: benefits and concerns

Recent advances in agricultural biotechnology have highlighted the need for experimental evidence and sound scientific judgment to assess the benefits and risks to society. Nutrition scientists and other animal biologists need a balanced understanding of the issues to participate in this assessment. To date most modifications to crop plants have benefited producers. Crops have been engineered to decrease pesticide and herbicide usage, protect against stressors, enhance yields and extend shelf life. Beyond the environmental benefits of decreased pesticide and herbicide application, consumers stand to benefit by development of food crops with increased nutritional value, medicinal properties, enhanced taste and esthetic appeal. There remains concern that these benefits come with a cost to the environment or increased risk to the consumer. Most U.S. consumers are not aware of the extent that genetically modified foods have entered the marketplace. Consumer awareness of biotechnology seems to have increased over the last decade, yet most consumers remain confused over the science. Concern over the impact on the safety of the food supply remains low in the United States, but is substantially elevated in Europe. Before a genetically engineered crop is introduced into commerce it must pass regulatory scrutiny by as many as four different federal regulatory bodies to ensure a safe food supply and minimize the risk to the environment. Key areas for more research are evaluation of the nutritional benefits of new crops, further investigation of the environmental impact, and development of better techniques to identify and track genetically engineered products.     

Nutrition and health--genetically modified food

The genetically modified (GM) crops cultivated at present have new properties of benefit to agriculture. It is expected that in the future GM crops will also be cultivated with more complex genetic modifications that are aimed at improving the nutritional and health value to the consumer. The safety assessment of GM foods before market approval is based on a comparison of the characteristics of the GM food with those of the conventional counterpart. Identified differences are thoroughly tested for their toxicological and nutritional consequences. Supplementary modern analytical techniques are being developed for the assessment of future complex GM foods. No cases of adverse health or nutritional effects in consumers have been reported for the existing generation of GM foods. The feasibility of post-market surveillance of (GM) foods, in order to identify small or chronic effects that have not been noticed in the pre-market phase, is being investigated, yet its value should not be overestimated. Surveillance can be informative in case of specific questions concerning certain products as long as the consumer intake is well documented. To this end traceability and labelling systems must be set up.     

Application of modern biotechnology to food and agriculture: food systems perspective

The purpose of this article is to provide nutrition educators with an introduction to a range of considerations and forces that are driving the application of modern biotechnology in the food and fiber sector based on a food systems perspective. In doing so, the following issues are critically assessed: (1) the global debate on how to regulate genetically engineered (GE) foods and crops, (2) cultural differences in public perceptions of GE foods, and (3) evaluation of selected GE traits against the principles of social, economic, and ecological sustainability, including the potential of modern agricultural biotechnology to enhance global food security. Where appropriate, we also review other agricultural technologies and the broader political, social, and economic contexts in which these technologies have been introduced. Finally, we offer recommendations for how multiple stakeholder groups, including policy makers, biotechnology advocates, and nutrition educators, can move toward a more informed dialogue and debate on this issue.     

Quantitative Use of the Food Guide Pyramid to Evaluate Dietary Intake of College Students

Objectives To evaluate the usefulness of the Food Guide Pyramid as a quantitative tool for assessing nutritional adequacy and quality.Design One-day food records (n=2,489) were assigned food group scores (1 through 5) by two systems. System 1 recorded the number of food groups on a given record that included the minimum number of servings suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid. System 2 recorded the number of food groups in the Food Guide Pyramid for which at least one serving was included. The food records were further evaluated by mean adequacy ratio (MAR) for iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin B-6 (MAR-5 score) and percentage of energy contributed by fat and sugar. Sensitivity and specificity of the food group scores to predict nutritional inadequacy were determined.Subjects College students (n = 2,489) attending introductory nutrition, foods, and health-related courses at a mid-western university.Statistical analyses Student's t test, χ² test, Dunnett's multiple mean comparison test.Results A food group score of 5 was given to 11% and 35% of the diet records by systems 1 and 2, respectively; MAR-5 scores of 75 or greater were given to 70% of the records. Only 4% of the diets contained both 30% or less and 10% or less of energy from fat and sugar, respectively. Both scoring systems can be used as a quantitative tool for screening nutritional inadequacy with high sensitivity (correctly classifying nutritionally inadequate diets) but with a moderate to low specificity (correctly classifying nutritionally adequate diets). J Am Diet Assoc. 1996; 96:453-457.     

Food and Drug Administration: approach to evaluating neurotoxicity

One of the primary features of the mission of the Food and Drug Administration is to assure with reasonable certainty that no harm will result from the intended use of chemicals added to food. In carrying out this mission the FDA uses a structured process to assess the safety of each food chemical. The detailed mechanics of this process are described in an FDA document entitled "Toxicological Principles for the Safety Assessment of Direct Food Additives and Color Additives Use in Food" (Food and Drug Administration, 1982). Central to its evaluation the FDA requires a collective set of information, including estimates of the anticipated human exposure to the food chemical and a broad-based toxicological profile. Certainly, any adverse effect observed in the nervous system is recognized as an important element in the determination of chemical safety and follow-up information which would enable an assessment of such an effect to be included in the toxicological profile. The agency's current approach to evaluating neurotoxicity should be viewed within the context of its overall strategy for the safety assessment of food chemicals. Four basic premises underlie the FDA's approach to safety assessment.     

Position of the American Dietetic Association: food fortification and dietary supplements

Wise food choices provide the necessary foundation for optimal nutrition. Science has not fully identified the specific chemical components that account for the benefits of healthy eating patterns. Selection of a variety of foods, using tools such as the USDA/HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USD A Food Guide Pyramid, is the best way to provide a desirable balance, without excessive intakes of macronutrients, micronutrients and other beneficial components of foods. Nevertheless, for certain nutrients and some individuals, fortification, supplementation, or both may also be desirable. Nutrient intakes from all these sources should be considered in dietary assessments, planning and recommendations. The recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences' Food and Nutrition Board provide a sound scientific basis for vitamin and mineral intakes. Intakes exceeding those recommendations have no demonstrated benefit for the normal, healthy population. Dietetics professionals should base recommendations for use of fortified foods or supplements on individualized assessment and sound scientific evidence of efficacy and safety. It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the best nutritional strategy for promoting optimal health and reducing the risk of chronic disease is to wisely choose a wide variety of foods. Additional vitamins and minerals from fortified foods and/or supplements can help some people meet their nutritional needs as specified by science-based nutrition standards such as the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) J Am Diet Assoc. 2001; 101:115–125     

Constantly evolving safety assessment protocols for GM foods

he introduction of GM foods has led to the evolution of a food safety assessment paradigm that establishes safety of the GM food relative to its conventional counterpart. The GM foods currently approved and marketed in several countries have undergone extensive safety testing under a structured safety assessment framework evolved by international organizations like FAO, WHO, Codex and OECD. The major elements of safety assessment include molecular characterization of inserted genes and stability of the trait, toxicity and allergenicity potential of the expressed substances, compositional analysis, potential for gene transfer to gut microflora and unintentional effects of the genetic modification. As more number and type of food crops are being brought under the genetic modification regime, the adequacy of existing safety assessment protocols for establishing safety of these foods has been questioned. Such crops comprise GM crops with higher agronomic vigour, nutritional or health benefit/ by modification of plant metabolic pathways and those expressing bioactive substances and pharmaceuticals. The safety assessment challenges of these foods are the potential of the methods to detect unintentional effects with higher sensitivity and rigor. Development of databases on food compositions, toxicants and allergens is currently seen as an important aid to development of safety protocols. With the changing global trends in genetic modification technology future challenge would be to develop GM crops with minimum amount of inserted foreign DNA so as to reduce the burden of complex safety assessments while ensuring safety and utility of the technology.     

一起大肠埃希菌引起的食物中毒

目的:调查分析一起食物中毒的途径和原因,为食品安全监管提供依据。方法:现场流行病学调查和实验室检测。结果:319名学生进餐,56人发病,罹患率17.55%;本次疫情系由O136K78侵袭性大肠埃希菌所致食物中毒。结论:应重视餐饮业尤其是集体食堂的监督管理,提高《食品卫生法》的宣传力度,确保饮食安全以杜绝食物中毒的发生。     

A blueprint-based case study analysis of nutrition services provided in a midterm care facility for the elderly

Ensuring nutritionally adequate food intake in institutions is a complex and important challenge for dietitians. To tackle this problem, we argue that dietitians need to adopt a systematic, integrative, and patient-centered approach to identify and manage more effectively organizational determinants of the quality of food intake under their control. In this study, we introduce such an approach, the blueprint-based case study, that we applied in the context of a midterm care facility for elderly patients. Data gathered through interviews and field observations were used to develop, from the perspective of key patient encounters, detailed representations of the food, nutrition, and nursing activities necessary to ensure adequate food intake. These service "blueprints" were developed to illustrate all activities that might potentially impact on the nutritional, sensory, functional, and social quality of patients' meals. They were also used as roadmaps to develop a case study analysis in which critical areas were identified and opportunities for improvement put forth, while considering services' resources and priorities. By providing a precise, objective, yet comprehensive mapping of the service operations and management, the blueprint-based case study approach represents a valuable tool to determine the optimal allocation of resources to insure nutritionally adequate food intake to patients.     

Organisation de l'alimentation de l'enfant hospitalisé (réglementation, sécurité sanitaire, logistique)

Hygiene and food safety in hospital are regulated under the Directive of the French Ministry of Health of September 29^th, 1997, and, as of January 1^st, 2006, under the European Regulation 852/2004/EC of the European Parliament and Council, related to food hygiene. These two regulations have endorsed the HACCP system, which is nowadays considered at the international level as the best reference system for prevention of food borne risks. The French Food Safety Agency published in October 2005 recommendations for preparation and handling of powdered infant formulae. Launched in 2002, the Committees on Diet and Nutrition are devoted to improve in every hospital the nutritional management of patients and the quality of diet and nutrition, to answer properly unresolved questions related to diet or nutrition, and to improve continuing education of staff.     

Underexploited African Grain Crops: A Nutritional Resource

The African grain deficit is projected to surpass its current production of 50 times 10⁶ metric tons/year by the turn of the century. The biodiversity of the African continent, on which there are more native cereals than on any other continent, can serve to reduce the vulnerability of that continent's populations at serious risk of food shortages. Traditional grain and root crops have provided the energy underpinning for Africa since the emergence of bipedal hominids. By resurrecting some of these "lost crops" in their native areas, the food security of those areas can be enhanced. In addition, some of these crops lend themselves to introduction into other nutritionally challenged areas of the world with similar geoclimatic characteristics.     

Politikberatung zur Lebensmittelsicherheit durch die Senatskommission zur gesundheitlichen Bewertung von Lebensmitteln (SKLM)

The Senate Commission on Food Safety (SKLM, Senatskommission zur gesundheitlichen Bewertung von Lebensmitteln) of the German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft) is a transdisciplinary expert committee, providing advice on food safety to the government, parliament, and authorities. Consultation is based on a scientific assessment with the aim to give expert advice to authorities, so that they can make appropriate decisions. The SKLM is independent in its scientific deliberations and under no directive in the selection of issues to work on. Topics considered may result from requests of the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection (BMELV, Bundesministeriums für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz). Other issues may be raised by the SKLM, if they are regarded to be of particular importance for consumer health protection. Issues encompass the scientific assessment of safety and nutritional benefit of food ingredients and additives, of novel and functional food, as well as of novel food technologies. The SKLM identifies gaps in knowledge, research needs, and need for action.     

Starlink corn: a risk analysis.

Modern biotechnology has dramatically increased our ability to alter the agronomic traits of plants. Among the novel traits that biotechnology has made available, an important group includes Bacillus thuringiensis-derived insect resistance. This technology has been applied to potatoes, cotton, and corn. Benefits of Bt crops, and biotechnology generally, can be realized only if risks are assessed and managed properly. The case of Starlink corn, a plant modified with a gene that encodes the Bt protein Cry9c, was a severe test of U.S. regulatory agencies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had restricted its use to animal feed due to concern about the potential for allergenicity. However, Starlink corn was later found throughout the human food supply, resulting in food recalls by the Food and Drug Administration and significant disruption of the food supply. Here we examine the regulatory history of Starlink, the assessment framework employed by the U.S. government, assumptions and information gaps, and the key elements of government efforts to manage the product. We explore the impacts on regulations, science, and society and conclude that only significant advances in our understanding of food allergies and improvements in monitoring and enforcement will avoid similar events in the future. Specifically, we need to develop a stronger fundamental basis for predicting allergic sensitization and reactions if novel proteins are to be introduced in this fashion. Mechanisms are needed to assure that worker and community aeroallergen risks are considered. Requirements are needed for the development of valid assays so that enforcement and post market surveillance activities can be conducted.     

Do Food Blogs Serve as a Source of Nutritionally Balanced Recipes? An Analysis of 6 Popular Food Blogs

ObjectiveTo determine whether sampled food blogs provide nutritionally balanced recipes.MethodsTwo entree recipes per season, per year (2010–2011) were selected from 6 highly ranked food blogs (n = 96). Food Processor Nutrition and Fitness software was used to analyze sodium, saturated fat, and energy content. Analysis was separated by protein type (vegetarian, poultry, red meat, and seafood).ResultsRecipes met energy recommendations but were excessive in saturated fat and sodium. Vegetarian and seafood recipes were significantly lower in risk nutrients compared with red meat and poultry recipes. Red meat recipes were not significantly different from poultry recipes for risk nutrients studied; poultry recipes were higher in sodium and energy compared with red meat recipes.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe public should be aware of the nutritional limitations of popular food blogs; dietitians could assist in modifying blog recipes for individuals and partner with bloggers to improve the nutritional profile of recipes.     

转基因作物的安全性评价策略、现状及发展

基因重组技术赋予农业生产以巨大的活力 ,但转基因作物的安全性问题却不容忽视。有关国际组织及政府已达成共识 :在“实质等同性”原则的基础上 ,应对转基因作物进行详尽周密的安全性评价工作。有关策略包括实质等同性分析、毒性实验、致敏性研究、营养学评价等 ,随着新技术的发展 ,基因组学、蛋白质组学、代谢组学等新技术也将用于对非目标效应的监测 ,欧盟已在酝酿上市后监测的一些措施。总之 ,转基因作物的安全性评价策略是十分严格的 ,且还在逐步完善。     

FOOD CONSUMPTION IN RURAL BURKINA FASO

Food diaries, kept by 13 households in Burkina Faso throughout one year, showed that rural people on average consumed between 1.8 and 2.9 meals per day typically consisting of a thick porridge, made from pearl millet or red sorghum, and a sauce of leaves mainly Corchorus spp. and Adansonia digitata, calyces from Bombax costatum, or groundnuts. Spices, such as chili, Parkia biglobosa "soumbala" and dried fish were frequently added. Vegetables and pulses were occasionally eaten, but meat and milk rarely so. Meals on average included 5.6 ingredients. The diet was monotonous with but a few frequently used products constituting the bulk of food intake. The study villages are presently changing from a traditional local based consumption pattern to an increased use of marketed products, because many traditional wild food products are increasingly difficult to find and imported products are becoming available from urban areas and fashionable to eat. In order to provide people with a well-balanced and nutritionally rich food intake and a high degree of food security, it is recommended that extension projects should work to secure the supply of nutritionally important traditional products and to diversify the food base by promoting the use of under-exploited secondary crops within existing land use systems.     

Application of agricultural biotechnology to improve food nutrition and healthcare products

Crop plants provide essential food nutrients to humans and livestock, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals and vitamins, directly or indirectly. The level and composition of food nutrients vary significantly in different food crops. As a result, plant foods are often deficient in certain nutrient components. Relying on a single food crop as source of nutrients thus will not achieve a balanced diet and results in malnutrition and deficiency diseases, especially in the developing countries, due mainly to poverty. The development and application of biotechnology offers opportunities and novel possibilities to enhance the nutritional quality of crops, particularly when the necessary genetic variability is not available. While initial emphasis of agricultural biotechnology has been placed on input traits of crops such as herbicide tolerance, insect resistance and virus resistance, increasing effort and promising proof-of-concept products have been made in output traits including enhancing the nutritional quality of crops since 1990s. Advancements in plant transformation and transgene expression also allow the use of plants as bioreactors to produce a variety of bio-products at large scale and low cost. Many proof-of-concept plant-derived healthcare products have been generated and several commercialized.     

Genetically modified food (food derived from biotechnology): current and future trends in public acceptance and safety assessment

Current and future trends regarding genetically modified (GM) crops and food stuffs were reviewed, with a particular focus on public acceptance and safety assessment. While GM foods, foods derived from biotechnology, are popular with growers and producers, they are still a matter of some concern among consumers. In fact, our recent surveys showed that Japanese consumers had become uneasy about the potential health risks of genetically modified foods. Many Japanese consumers have only vague ideas about the actual health risks, and they appear to be making decisions simply by rejecting GM food because of non-informed doubts. Although the debate about GM foods has increased in the mass media and scientific journals, few articles concerning direct studies on the potential toxicity or adverse health effects of GM foods have appeared. The roles of relevant international regulatory bodies in ensuring that GM crops and food are safe are therefore have summarized. Finally, the current debate on use of GM crops in agriculture and future trends for development of GM foods with enriched nutrients, better functionality, and medicinal ingredients, which will be of direct benefit to the consumer, are covered.     

GM organisms and the EU regulatory environment: allergenicity as a risk component

The European Food Safety Authority, following a request from the European Commission, has published a guidance document for the risk assessment of GM plants and derived food and feed to assist in the implementation of provisions of Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and Council on GM food and feed. This regulation has applied since 18 April 2004. In principle, hazard identification and characterisation of GM crops is conducted in four steps: characterisation of the parent crop and any hazards associated with it; characterisation of the transformation process and of the inserted recombinant DNA, including an assessment of the possible production of new fusion proteins or allergens; assessment of the introduced proteins (toxicity, allergenicity) and metabolites; identification of any other targetted and unexpected alterations in the GM crop, including changes in the plant metabolism resulting in compositional changes and assessment of their toxicological, allergenic or nutritional impact. In relation to allergenicity specifically, it is clear that this property of a given protein is not intrinsic and fully predictable but is a biological activity requiring an interaction with individuals with a predisposed genetic background. Allergenicity, therefore, depends on the genetic diversity and variability in atopic human subjects. Given this lack of complete predictability it is necessary to obtain, from several steps in the risk-assessment process, a cumulative body of evidence that minimises any uncertainty about the protein(s) in question.     

Evaluation of Nutri-Score in Relation to Dietary Guidelines and Food Reformulation in The Netherlands

An unhealthy dietary pattern is an important risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Front-of-Pack nutritional labels such as Nutri-Score can be used to improve food choices. In addition, products can be improved through reformulation. The current study investigates to what extent Nutri-Score aligns with the Dutch Health Council dietary guidelines and whether it can be used as an incentive for reformulation. Nutri-Score calculations were based on the Dutch Branded Food database (2018). The potential shift in Nutri-Score was calculated with product improvement scenarios. The Nutri-Score classification is in line with these dietary guidelines: increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables, pulses, and unsalted nuts. It is, however, less in line with the recommendations to limit (dairy) drinks with added sugar, reduce the consumption of red meat and replace refined cereal products with whole-grain products. The scenario analyses indicated that a reduction in sodium, saturated fat or sugars resulted in a more favourable Nutri-Score in a large variety of food groups. However, the percentage of products with an improved Nutri-Score varied greatly between the different food groups. Alterations to the algorithm may strengthen Nutri-Score in order to help consumers with their food choices.