Should we label GM products in India? Bioseed Research India Paresh Verma Director Research

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2 Should we label GM products in India? Bioseed Research India Paresh Verma Director Research

3 GM crops: Some basics GM crops are prohibitively expensive to develop Traditional plant breeding is still the best option for genetic improvement in crop plants GM option chosen only when gene of interest is not present in the same species, and when genetic improvement can not be done using traditional plant breeding method GM crops are released after exhaustive food and feed safety and environmental safety assessment. No other food and crop improvement research is so strictly regulated

4 GM crops: Bio-safety issues Environmental safety Any aberration in plant s own constitution or behavior? Any alteration in plants interaction with other plant and animal species? Any alteration in plant s interaction with environment? Stability of desired gene expression? Food and feed safety Any alteration in plant s biochemical profile and nutritive properties? Any direct or indirect toxicity to animals or humans? Any allergenic potential of the gene product in humans?

5 GM crops: Bio-safety issues Benefits to society Increased productivity of food and feed crops Decreased human health hazards Reduced pollution of the environment Increased nutritive value Value addition for users/ end users (consumers) Each transformation event has a different bio-safety profile

6 Bio-safety risk assessment Recipient and Donor organism characterization Molecular analysis Single copy insertion Border integrity analysis Genetic analysis Stable Mendelian segregation across environments and genetic backgrounds Gene product characterization Protein characterization Stability of expression levels across environments and genetic backgrounds

7 Bio-safety risk assessment Impact on recipient organism No morphological aberration No phenological aberration No agronomic disadvantage Impact on recipient organism properties establish Substantial Equivalence of GM and non-gm plants Biochemical / constitutional profile Nutritive properties Any other economic property

8 Bio-safety risk assessment Health safety laboratory and clinical studies No allergenicity potential No dermal toxicity Quick degradation of protein in animal gut Food and feed safety laboratory and clinical studies No oral toxicity to human No oral toxicity to target animals No oral toxicity to non target animal species No risk of horizontal gene transfer

9 Bio-safety risk assessment A GM crop is released only after all risks have been assessed and the GM crop and its use as food or feed is found to be as SAFE as its non- GM counterpart

10 Trade related regulatory issues Should India label GM food/feed products? Does labeling or segregation increase food safety?, or Is it a question of consumers right to know?, or Is it to protect national trade interests

11 Trade related regulatory issues If we do decide to label and segregate GM crops and their products, What products? At what stage in value chain? What criteria/ standards to follow? How will it be enforced? Labeling for presence, or absence also? Who will pay for increased cost?

12 Trade related regulatory issues Agri-input retail Consumer Production at farm Retail Local trader in village Export Labeling and segregation enforceable in India Labeling and segregation NOT enforceable in India Whole sale trader in small town Whole sale trader in bigger town Unorganized food processing industry Small scale food processing industry Large scale food processing industry

13 Trade related regulatory issues GM foods are as safe as their non-gm counterparts Labeling and segregation is required to protect trade interests and consumers right In India most consumers can not afford the additional costs due to labeling and segregation In India complete labeling and segregation is not possible / enforceable

14 Trade related regulatory issues In India, consumers, traders and industry s interests will be best served if No mandatory labeling for GM food products in domestic markets Non-GM certification / labeling mechanism for export markets (similar to certification for organic) In India we still do not have the luxury of choosing between fashionable and non-fashionable foods

15 Thank You