As defined in the Food and Drugs Regulations, a novel food is:
a) a substance, including a microorganism, that does not have a history of safe use as a food;
b) a food that has been manufactured, prepared, preserved or packaged by a process that has not been previously applied to that food, and causes the food to undergo a major change;
c) a food that is derived from a plant, animal or microorganism that has been genetically modified such that the plant, animal or microorganism exhibits characteristics that were not previously observed in that plant, animal or microorganism, the plant, animal or microorganism no longer exhibits characteristics that were previously observed in that plant, animal or microorganism, or one or more characteristics of the plant, animal or microorganism (such as toxin levels), no longer fall within the anticipated range for that plant, animal or microorganism.
How Are Novel Foods Developed?
There are various methods through which novel plants can be developed. However, only the plants produced through these techniques which have new traits, not seen in the crop before, are considered novel. Some of these techniques are discussed further below.
Selective Breeding
Selective breeding is the breeding of selected plants and animals to produce offspring with desired traits. The offspring with the desired traits are then used as breeding stock for the next generation and so on, until offspring that express the desired traits are obtained.
Mutagenesis
This is the use of mutagens (such as exposure to radiation, temperature extremes and certain chemicals), to cause changes in the genetic make-up of cells, resulting in new desirable, inheritable traits.
Hybridization
This is the production of superior offspring (hybrids) by combining desirable genes from genetically dissimilar parents. This process is used to produce hybrid plants (by cross-breeding two different varieties) or hybridomas (hybrid cells formed by fusing two distinct cells, such as in the production of monoclonal antibodies.
Recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques
This is the application of genetic techniques to produce desirable traits in living organisms by using other living organisms such as bacteria. Examples of these techniques include the use of restriction endonucleases, vectors and gene guns.
Restriction endonucleases
Restriction endonucleases are enzymes, produced by bacteria, that break foreign DNA molecules containing the gene of interest into fragments. These fragments then recombine with complementary molecules from a different source to form a recombinant DNA molecule.
Vectors
Vectors used are most often bacterial and are known as plasmids. They are viruses that carry pieces of DNA into a bacteria for cloning purposes.
Gene guns
Gene guns, or DNA particle guns, are used to fire genes into cells by coating the genes onto tiny gold or tungsten particles and firing them from the barrel of the gun.
Novel plants that have been produced through recombinant DNA techniques often require selectable markers which are used in the development process. These markers facilitate the selection of transformed cells from non-transformed cells during the development of the novel plant. They are purposefully introduced into the plant genome as developmental tools but have no function in the final plant product. They are an important part of a novel plant because they become part of the plant genome. However, they may or may not be expressed in the final plant product.
Bibliography
Health Canada's information on novel foods and ingredients.
{www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/english/subjects/novel_foods_and_ingredient/novel_foods_and_ingredient.html}
Definition of novel foods.
{www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/english/subjects/novel_foods_and_ingredient/definition_of_novel_food.html}
Health Canada's safety assessment of genetically modified corn.
{www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/english/subjects/novel_foods_and_ingredient/safety_assessment_of_genetical1.html}
New Information on Roundup Ready Soybean.
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