10 August 2011: The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on its draft guidance for risk assessment of food and feed derived from genetically modified (GM) animals and related animal health and welfare issues.

The draft guidance specifies the data requirements and methodology for risk assessments to be performed for applications for EU market authorization of food and feed derived from GM animals. The risk assessment approach compares GM animals and derived food and feed with their respective conventional counterparts, considering both food and feed safety as well as animal health and welfare aspects. A separate guidance document on environmental risk assessment of GM animals is expected to be released in 2012. Although no applications for market approval for GM animals have been submitted to the EU to date, several such applications are currently being considered in other countries.

All stakeholders and interested parties are invited to provide their comments through an online public consultation that runs until 30 September 2011. [EFSA Press Release][Call for Comments and Instructions]