GMO

For some ingredients, specific rules apply on how food safety should be assessed, as in the case of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The mandatory safety assessment of GMOs in Europe is very strict and detailed.

Omics' technologies without the use of test animals

Animal testing is a standard component of food safety assessments. However, Wageningen Food Safety Research is working on more informative, analytical alternatives, which will ultimately make animal testing obsolete. For this purpose, advanced 'omics' technologies are used. With these alternatives we can determine whether a new plant varieties is really different from varities which are already being traded and are safe.

Statistical operations

WFSR cooperates with colleagues from Wageningen Plant Research on the application of innovative statistical processes. These allow us to determine from the flood of data from “omics” experiments whether a GMO bears enough resemblance to a population of conventional, non-GMO counterparts that we consider safe for consumption. This would provide insight into which extent further experiments with the GMO are still necessary to provide sufficient certainty about the safety of the GMO for human and animal consumption.