Assessment of unanticipated unintended effects of genetically modified plants on non-target organisms: a controversy worthy of pursuit?
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Abstract A typical risk hypothesis addressed during the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of genetically modified (GM) plants for cultivation is that the novel traits intentionally introduced into GM plants do not adversely affect non‐target organisms (NTOs). However, genetic modification may potentially also lead to unintended changes in the GM plant which could raise safety concerns. Therefore, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advocates the characterization of ecological interactions between the GM plant and representative NTOs as part of the ERA of GM plants for cultivation in the European Union. Yet, this requirement is not unanimously accepted by stakeholders. Here, we present EFSA's approach to assess potential adverse effects on NTOs and summarize some of the stakeholders' views, mostly opposing EFSA's position on scientific grounds.
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The data available do not support the proposal that in-planta studies are needed to fully assess Bt-plant effects on natural enemies.
“Thus, the data available do not support the proposal by some scientists (Arpaia et al., 2017) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (EFSA, 2010) that in-planta studies are needed to fully assess the Bt-plant effects on natural enemies (see Devos et al., 2016 for detailed discussion).”
From Genetically engineered crops help support conservation biological control (2019) · cites this paper as Devos et al., 2016
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Genetically engineered crops help support conservation biological control
Romeis, J., Naranjo, S. E., Meissle, M., & Shelton, A. M. (2019) · Biological Control · doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.10.001 · Cited by 231 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Devos, Y., Álvarez‐Alfageme, F., Gennaro, A., & Mestdagh, S.
- Affiliations
- European Food Safety Authority (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Devos, Y.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Entomology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-06-23
- Volume
- 140
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 1-10
- ISSN
- 0931-2048 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-0418
- OpenAlex
- W1963020758
- Cited by
- 23
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 4.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Entomology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- European Food Safety Authority
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Genetically Modified Organisms Research
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Agricultural safety and regulations
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Keywords
- transgenic plants, non-target organisms, unintended consequences, environmental risk assessment, EFSA, ecological interactions, biosafety
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