转基因动物食品安全性评价研究

鉴于转基因动物食品安全性尚未有定论,为加强转基因动物食品安全管理,本文提出了转基因动物食品安全性评价的四原则和五项主要内容,"四原则"是科学原则、实质等同性原则、个案原则、逐步原则;"五项主要内容"是转基因动物本身的特性,转基因动物食品有无毒性和过敏性,转基因动物食品有无激素含量和标记基因,转基因动物食品的售后状况以及其他相关因素,指出了建立一套与国际接轨的适合我国国情的转基因动物食品安全性评价方法是目前我国食品安全领域需要解决的问题.     

转基因抗虫棉生物安全评价研究进展

概述了转基因抗虫棉的推广应用现状,并从基因漂移,靶标害虫对转基因抗虫棉的抗性及治理对策、对非靶标昆虫的影响、对土壤生态系统的影响及其产品的食品安全性评价几个方面对近年来国内外对转基因抗虫棉的生物安全性研究做了综述。     

转基因动物生物安全研究与评价

随着转基因动物在新品种培育、异种器官移植、生物反应器和疾病模型等方面的研究与发展,转基因动物的生物安全性引起了人们的广泛关注。目前,各国政府与机构已制定了相应的法律法规来规范转基因动物的研究与应用。文中介绍了转基因动物生物安全研究的内容、评价原则、评价政策与程序、上市或有望上市的转基因动物产品。最后,对转基因动物及其产品的研究与应用进行了展望。     

实质等同性原则和转基因食品的安全性评价

讨论转基因食品安全性评价中的一些热点话题：现代生物技术与传统育种比较,整体食物的动物毒性实验,实质等同性原则及其局限性,食品成分安全性评价,食品成分的预料外改变,抗生素抗性标记基因,过敏性问题,标签问题等。     

谈转基因管理中的预防原则及其实施

"转基因安全性尚未确定"是反对转基因的各界人士的共同理由,并进而引用预防原则来否定转基因技术的产业化,这个错误观点很大程度上是因为对转基因预防原则的误读和对在转基因预防原则下的转基因安全评估的不了解。作为转基因技术和产品管理的全球性共识,转基因预防原则源自《里约宣言》,并在《卡塔赫纳协议》中获得实施,进而通过世界卫生组织的评估框架建议和国际食品法典委员会建议的细则条例,指导各国的转基因相关立法和管理。通过了政府主导的第三方权威机构转基因安全评估并获得安全证书后的转基因种植和食品都是安全性已经确定并获得保障的,此时预防原则已经实施,转基因产品进入市场阶段后,预防原则的前提已经不存在,不再适合用不确定的观点看待转基因产品,否则会带来误导和对新技术、新产品的歧视,影响科学决策,阻碍采用新技术推动社会经济发展。我国的转基因管理遵循预防为主的理念和慎重的原则,预防原则与预防为主的原则在中文里不加区别的翻译也是造成误读的原因,因此在转基因产品通过了安全评估进入市场阶段时,不再重复强调预防原则,将有利于公众正确理解安全评估和理性选择。     

转基因作物的食用与环境安全性问题及其对策

自转基因技术研发和商业化生产以来,针对转基因作物的食用安全性和环境安全性问题一直是公众争论的焦点。面对全球粮食安全形势的严峻压力,如何使公众对转基因技术及其产品的客观性保持一种科学性的认识,是摆在各国(特别是发展中国家)政府和科学家面前不可忽视的课题。本文从食品和环境两个方面简要介绍了转基因作物的安全性问题,旨在还原转基因技术的科学真实性,并简要提出转基因作物的安全性对策。     

转基因食品安全性评价研究进展

自1996年全球转基因作物大规模商业化生产以来,转基因作物种植面积以年均10%左右的速度迅速增长,2013年种植面积已达1.75亿hm2。其在解决全球粮食问题、环境保护、提升粮食营养质量和品质、制药以及推动经济可持续发展方面展现了重要作用。但是,随着转基因商业化生产的深入,转基因技术的潜在风险性引起了社会以及国际上更广泛的关注。事实上,在转基因技术出现之初,科学家们就开始关注其安全性问题。相关国际组织（FAO、WHO、CAC、OECD等）经过数次研究制订了一系列与转基因食品安全性有关的评价原则、指南与措施等。随着转基因技术的发展,这些安全评价策略也在不断完善。我国目前已经基本建立了转基因食品的安全评价和管理体系。转基因食品在进入市场前要经过十分全面以及系统的安全性评价,包括营养学、毒理学、过敏性等方面,从而保障转基因食品的安全性。     

利用决策树方法建立转基因植物环境生物安全评价诊断平台

转基因技术及其产品是解决世界粮食问题的重要途径之一, 但是包括食品和环境安全在内的转基因生物安全评价是转基因技术及其产品商品化应用的前提和保证。现有的人为生物安全评价方法存在着一定的不足, 难以应对数量日益增加和内容日趋复杂的转基因产品的安全评价需求, 因此找寻一种客观和高效的评价方法势在必行。决策树(decision tree)方法是现今广泛使用的数据挖掘和分析的决策方法之一, 通过将需要解答问题的层层分解并分别解决, 最终得到理想的决策结果, 在处理复杂问题方面具有独特的优势。本文旨在通过介绍决策树的概念、特性、种类及其构建方法, 探索将决策树方法应用于建立转基因植物环境生物安全评价诊断平台的可行性, 并分析构建的诊断平台在高效、准确和客观地进行转基因植物环境生物安全评价, 以及对新一代转基因产品环境安全性的预测和普及环境安全知识等方面的优势, 为进一步推动转基因技术的发展和转基因产品的安全利用奠定基础。     

转基因动物应用的研究现状与生物安全评价

转基因动物技术自诞生以来在医药、农业、环保、生物材料等方面展示了广阔的应用前景。本文就动物转基因的应用及其产业化前景进行了概述,并从全球角度对转基因生物安全作出评估。     

基因工程植物的安全性问题

转基因植物的研究进展很迅速,但基因工程植物是否安全一直争论不休,主要表现在转基因食品的安全性及生态安全性问题上.转基因食品的安全性涉及这些食品的过敏性、毒性以及抗生素标记基因的安全性几个方面.转基因植物的生态安全性包括基因漂流、是否能诱发昆虫产生Bt抗性和对生物多样性的影响等.本文针对这些问题,对转基因植物潜在危害以及国际上现有的评价作简要综述.     

Current status of regulating biotechnology-derived animals in Canada: animal health and food safety considerations

Development of an effective regulatory system for genetically engineered animals and their products has been the subject of increasing discussion among researchers, industry and policy developers, as well as the public. Since transgenesis and cloning are relatively new scientific techniques, transgenic animals are 'novel' organisms for which there is limited information. The issues associated with the regulation of transgenic animals pertain to environmental impact, human food safety, animal health and welfare, trade and ethics. It is a challenge for the developers to prove the safety of the products of biotechnology-derived animals and also for regulators to regulate this increasingly powerful technology with limited background information. In principle, an effective regulatory sieve should permit safe products while forming a formidable barrier for those posing an unacceptable risk. Regulatory initiatives for biotechnology-derived animals and their products should be able to ensure high standards for human and animal health, a sound scientific basis for evaluation; transparency and public involvement, and maintenance of genetic diversity. This review proposes a regulatory regime that is based on scientific risk based assessment and approval of products or by-products of biotechnology-derived animals and its application in context to Canadian regulations.     

转基因产品的食用安全性评价

近10年来,基因工程技术取得显著进展,不少转基因作物已进入商品化生产阶段,但由于斑蝶事件的Pusztai事件,在全世界范围内又引发了新一轮对转基因食品安全性的激烈争论,作者就目前的转基因产品食用安全性评价体系做一简要综述,为我国尽快建立转基因食品安全性评价体系提供部分依据。     

Animal nutrition with feeds from genetically modified plants

Plant breeders have made and will continue to make important contributions toward meeting the need for more and better feed and food. The use of new techniques to modify the genetic makeup of plants to improve their properties has led to a new generation of crops, grains and their by-products for feed. The use of ingredients and products from genetically modified plants (GMP) in animal nutrition properly raises many questions and issues, such as the role of a nutritional assessment of the modified feed or feed additive as part of safety assessment, the possible influence of genetically modified (GM) products on animal health and product quality and the persistence of the recombinant DNA and of the 'novel' protein in the digestive tract and tissues of food-producing animals. During the last few years many studies have determined the nutrient value of GM feeds compared to their conventional counterparts and some have additionally followed the fate of DNA and novel protein. The results available to date are reassuring and reveal no significant differences in the safety and nutritional value of feedstuffs containing material derived from the so-called 1st generation of genetically modified plants (those with unchanged gross composition) in comparison with non-GM varieties. In addition, no residues of recombinant DNA or novel proteins have been found in any organ or tissue samples obtained from animals fed with GMP. These results indicate that for compositionally equivalent GMP routine-feeding studies with target species generally add little to nutritional and safety assessment. However, the strategies devised for the nutritional and safety assessment of the 1st generation products will be much more difficult to apply to 2nd generation GMP in which significant changes in constituents have been deliberately introduced (e.g., increased fatty acids or amino acids content or a reduced concentration of undesirable constituents). It is suggested that studies made with animals will play a much more important role in insuring the safety of these 2nd generation constructs.     

Animal pharming,two decades on

Since its inception 20 years ago, the animal pharming industry has promoted transgenic animals as a cost-effective method of biopharmaceutical production. However, it took until 2006 for the first therapeutic product to gain regulatory approval. This was an important milestone, but scepticism still abounds. Can pharming regain investor confidence, and will society accept transgenic livestock as a production method? There is some cause for optimism, biopharmaceuticals are a large, expanding market and animal pharming has already made considerable strides. A novel production platform has been established, groundbreaking technologies developed, a necessary regulatory framework put in place. Nevertheless, despite cost advantages, pharming has become a niche production method and its long term success may depend on products unique to transgenic animals.     

Risk assessment strategies for transgenic plants

Advances in recombinant DNA technology have created advantages for the development of plants with high agro-economical values. Since the production of transgenic plants, some issues concerning the safe use of these plants and their products have been under debate throughout the world. In this respect, the potential risks and benefits of transgenic plants need to be evaluated objectively. Risk assessment of transgenic crops is a basic prerequisite for monitoring the possible risks that could arise upon the release and use of transgenic plants. To get a meaningful tool for decision making, risk assessment needs to be carried out in a scientific sound and transparent manner. There are specific governmental regulations in many countries for the safety assessment of genetically modified (GM) crops. Furthermore, there are some international agreements, which regulate the cultivation and commercialization of transgenic plants and their derivatives. Internationally accepted risk assessment strategies have been performed to evaluate the safe use of a large variety of GM crops. The main objectives of these regulations and risk assessment strategies are focused to protect human/animal health and the environment.     

Welfare assessment in transgenic pigs expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)

Since large animal transgenesis has been successfully attempted for the first time about 25 years ago, the technology has been applied in various lines of transgenic pigs. Nevertheless one of the concerns with the technology--animal welfare--has not been approached through systematic assessment and statements regarding the welfare of transgenic pigs have been based on anecdotal observations during early stages of transgenic programs. The main aim of the present study was therefore to perform an extensive welfare assessment comparing heterozygous transgenic animals expressing GFP with wildtype animals along various stages of post natal development. The protocol used covered reproductory performance and behaviour in GFP and wildtype sows and general health and development, social behaviour, exploratory behaviour and emotionality in GFP and wildtype littermates from birth until an age of roughly 4 months. The absence of significant differences between GFP and wildtype animals in the parameters observed suggests that the transgenic animals in question are unlikely to suffer from deleterious effects of transgene expression on their welfare and thus support existing anecdotal observations of pigs expressing GFP as healthy. Although the results are not surprising in the light of previous experience, they give a more solid fundament to the evaluation of GFP expression as being relatively non-invasive in pigs. The present study may furthermore serve as starting point for researchers aiming at a systematic characterization of welfare relevant effects in the line of transgenic pigs they are working with.     

Environmental risk assessment of releases of transgenic plants containing virus-derived inserts

Sequences derived from the genomes of plant viruses are being used to provide virus resistance in transgenic crop plants. Although the environmental hazards associated with the release of such plants have been discussed widely, it has not been possible to reach generally acceptable conclusions about their safety. A case-by-case approach to the risk assessment of real examples is recommended as a means of building up confidence and of indicating areas of uncertainty. A logical framework for risk assessment is suggested, a key feature of which is identification of the viruses in the release environment that may infect the transgenic plants. Each of these is considered in relation to each of the three main classes of hazard (transcapsidation, recombination and synergism), and the risk associated with each event is analysed.     

The Use of Viral Vectors in Introducing Genes into Agricultural Animal Species

The use of viral vectors is a method for introducing foreign genes into various animal species. Vectors based on retro-, adeno-, flavi-, and parvoviruses have been used for research in animal species of agricultural importance, such as chickens, quail, swine, cows, goats, sheep, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Viral vectors allow for efficient transgenic integration into host genome or for transient expression of the transgenic construct in somatic tissues. Because of that, viral vectors are important tools for research and potentially other biotechnology applications such as improving animal production qualities and introducing disease resistance, thus improving food quality and safety. Other uses may include generating animal models of human diseases and using animals as bioreactors for production of therapeutic proteins. Each vector type provides a unique set of advantages and limitations, which are in some cases specific to an animal species or a method of introduction. This article discusses viral vector characteristics and potential applications in agriculturally important animal species. It discusses advantages and disadvantages of using viral vectors in genetic engineering of agricultural animals.     

转基因耐除草剂大豆的食用安全评价研究进展

转基因大豆是目前种植最广泛的转基因作物之一,其中具有耐除草剂特性的转基因大豆占比最高。公众对转基因食品一直争议不断,因此,其批准商业化种植前的食用安全性评价显得尤为重要。已有研究显示,转基因耐除草剂大豆已经商业化种植了二十多年,迄今为止还没有观察到任何不良反应。目前已经批准的转基因耐除草剂大豆均进行了严格的毒理学评价、过敏性评价和营养学评价,经过严格评价后上市的转基因大豆可以放心食用。综述了转基因耐除草剂大豆的主要类型,分析了可能存在的安全性问题,对转基因耐除草剂大豆的食用安全性评价方法进行了总结,以期为后续相关转基因食品安全性评价工作的开展提供借鉴。