90-day rodent feeding studies on whole GM food/feed: Is the mandatory EU requirement for 90-day rodent feeding studies on whole GM food/feed fit for purpose and consistent with animal welfare ethics?

Yann Devos; Hanspeter Naegeli; Joe N Perry; Elisabeth Waigmann

doi:10.15252/embr.201642739

90-day rodent feeding studies on whole GM food/feed: Is the mandatory EU requirement for 90-day rodent feeding studies on whole GM food/feed fit for purpose and consistent with animal welfare ethics?

EMBO Rep. 2016 Jul;17(7):942-5. doi: 10.15252/embr.201642739. Epub 2016 Jun 9.

Authors

Yann Devos¹, Hanspeter Naegeli², Joe N Perry³, Elisabeth Waigmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Unit, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy.
² Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland.
³ Oaklands Barn, Lug's Lane, Broome, Norfolk, UK.

Abstract

New EU regulation requires mandatory 90‐day rat feeding studies on whole GM feed to identify unintended hazards with GM food. However, these studies are not only unlikely to fulfil their purpose but are also inconsistent with EU policies to improve animal welfare in research.

MeSH terms

Animal Welfare* / legislation & jurisprudence
Animals
European Union*
Feeding Behavior*
Food, Genetically Modified*
Risk Assessment
Rodentia