Perceptions on the Holistic Assessment of Next-generation Genetically Engineered Crops

G engineering can improve crop quality and agronomic performance. Biotech crops produced by this technology can potentially benefit producers as well as consumers in both developed and developing countries. The creation of the first genetically engineered (GE) organisms in the 1970s initiated a still ongoing debate regarding their safety. Despite this concern, GE crops have been increasingly adopted worldwide, and the global area of GE crops has risen from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 134 million hectares in 20091. Regulatory authorities determine the safety of GE crops using a “comparative safety assessment” strategy. This approach is intended to define the substantial equivalence of GE crops; that is, to compare the phenotype and composition of GE crops to parental or closely related counterparts with an established history of safe use for differences and undesired side effects derived from the genetic modification2. This evaluation model has a clean safety record, proving satisfactory for assessing the safety of so-called first-generation GE crops with resistance to pests or tolerance to select herbicides, and without major metabolic and compositional alterations. However, the advent of increasingly complex biotech crops has led to widespread controversies regarding the future suitability of current safety assessment procedures. Consumers increasingly demand improved food quality; hence researchers are developing next-generation GE crops to provide food with enhanced quality or tailored properties to match these demands. Consequently, in addition to securing permits, the commercialization of crops with value-added traits such as improved nutrition or food functionality should involve earning public acceptance. Scientific studies demonstrating the benefits of GE quality-enhanced crops—not just speculations—could positively impact public perception. Additionally, because sensory qualities can be an important determinant of the public acceptance of new foods, assessing consumer perception of the GE crops should be included in the development of quality-improved crops. The scientific community, regulatory authorities, and the general public are paying close attention to these issues, as next-generation biotech crops are being developed. This review provides a brief overview of some recent studies in which these topics were addressed by applying different approaches in GE potato, tomato, carrot, and lettuce cultivars.