§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of state for Health what tests are being carried out by the Government to determine the impact of GM foods on human health. [143882]
§ Ms StuartNo genetically modified food can be marketed in the European Union until it has undergone a rigorous safety assessment under the European Commission Novel Foods Regulation (258/97). In the United Kingdom this assessment is performed by the independent Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP), which publishes information on applications on their website.
The ACNFP has also considered the practicality of post-market health surveillance for all novel foods, including GM foods. Based on their advice a feasibility study started on 1 July 2000, which will test the 444W robustness of data collection procedures. This is expected to take around 21 months to complete, the results will then be assessed by the ACNFP.