FPA Questions Proposed Use of Food Crops to Produce Plant-Made Pharmaceuticals, USA

Main Category: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 06 Jun 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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In comments filed on June 2 with the US Department of Agriculture, the Food Products Association (FPA) expressed its strong opposition to the use of food crops to produce PMPs (plant-made pharmaceuticals) in the "absence of controls and procedures that ensure essentially 100% protection of the food supply."

"The use of food crops to produce materials not intended to be in the food supply must only proceed under systems proven to prevent any contamination or adulteration of the food supply," noted Dr. Jeffrey Barach, FPA's Vice President of Special Projects. "We cannot overemphasize the importance of the agency and development companies making an aggressive proactive effort to developing 'fail safe' systems that anticipate, rather than just react to mistakes. To date, effective control programs have not been demonstrated to our satisfaction."

FPA also questioned whether the "criteria described in the proposed permit will be adequate for protection of the integrity of the food supply."

"FPA's concerns with the Ventria lysozyme and lactoferrin applications, as well as other non-food proteins expressed in food crops, center on the clear possibility and consequences of adulteration of food/feed supplies due to contamination by food crops that have been genetically engineered to produce pharmaceuticals or industrial compounds unapproved for food/feed use," said Dr. Barach.

FPA also urged USDA to continue its efforts to ensure the timeliness of needed federal regulatory oversight of the introduction of plants genetically engineered to produce non-food compounds. "PMPs, industrial compounds, and like products not approved or intended as general human or animal food or food ingredients, must be subject to mandatory regulatory oversight that prevents adulteration of the food supply," Dr. Barach stated. "This includes rigorous, risk-based permitting requirements and comprehensive enforcement of permit conditions by APHIS."

The Food Products Association (FPA) is the largest trade association serving the food and beverage industry in the United States and worldwide. FPA's laboratory centers, scientists and professional staff provide technical and regulatory assistance to member companies and represent the food industry on scientific and public policy issues involving food safety, food security, nutrition, consumer affairs and international trade.

Food Products Association
http://www.fpa-food.org

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