Supporting Information for Evaluation of existing guidelines for their adequacy for the food and feed risk assessment of genetically modified plants obtained through synthetic biology

Abstract

In line with the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) policy on openness and transparency, and in order for EFSA to receive comments on its work from the scientific community and stakeholders, EFSA engages in public consultations on key issues. Accordingly, EFSA carried out a public consultation to receive input from interested parties on the draft scientific opinion on the evaluation of existing guidelines for their adequacy for the food and feed risk assessment of plants obtained through synthetic biology. This draft scientific opinion was prepared by the EFSA GMO Panel, supported by a Working Group on Synthetic Biology of Genetically Modified Plants. The draft opinion was endorsed by the EFSA GMO Panel for public consultation on 1 December 2021. The online public consultation was open from 19 January 2022 until 20 March 2022 by means of an electronical comment submission tool together with explanatory text on the EFSA website (See Appendix A). EFSA received comments from 8 different interested parties. EFSA and its GMO Panel wish to thank all stakeholders for their contributions to this work. The present Annex contains the comments received and details how they have been considered for finalisation of the opinion. The final opinion was adopted at the GMO Panel Plenary meeting on 20 June 2022 and will be published in the EFSA Journal.