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New research on genetic engineering transparency: No more excuses for deregulation
The political process surrounding the new regulation of genetic engineering in the EU is currently at a standstill, as became clear once again on Tuesday in the Council of Agriculture Ministers. Much of the debate revolves around the claim that new genetic engineering methods (NGT) can allegedly be used to produce "nature-identical" plants that are indistinguishable and undetectable.
In the EU-funded DARWIN project, scientists from various institutions across Europe are now working to develop detection methods for plant-based NGT products. With the planned new methods, it will not only be possible to detect known DNA sequences (specific detection), but also to identify the method used to generate the DNA alterations (non-specific detection). In addition, digital solutions for traceability are to be developed as part of DARWIN.
The German Association for Food without Genetic Engineering (VLOG) is also part of the DARWIN consortium and will contribute its expertise to the project when it comes to using the newly developed methods in practice. Their development is of great importance for VLOG, as it is for the entire "Ohne Gentechnik" (Non-GMO) and organic sector, as well as the entire food industry and all consumers.
"Interested parties repeatedly claim that it is not possible to differentiate between genetic modifications through mutations and interventions using new genetic engineering methods. This is often used as justification to deregulate products from new genetic engineering - in other words, to treat them legally as products from conventional plant breeding," recalls VLOG Managing Director Alexander Hissting. "DARWIN gives us hope that in a few years there will be detection methods that can be used to reliably identify products of new genetic engineering," summarises Hissting. He appeals to politicians: "It is positive that the EU is finally getting this important research off the ground. The detection methods will come. So there is no longer any excuse - new genetic engineering (NGT) must also continue to be clearly regulated and labelled as genetic engineering".
The DARWIN project, which involves 15 organisations from 11 countries, will run from January 2024 to June 2027. Another consortium for the development of NGT detection methods, DETECTIVE, is also funded by the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation funding program.
New Genomic Techniques Project set to make food system more sustainable and transparent
Website: https://darwin-ngt.eu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darwinNGT
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/darwin-project-ngt/
Informationsdienst Gentechnik: EU provides eleven million euros for detection research
(German)
GM Watch: EU funds new GMO detection projects to the tune of €11m