Risk assessment of genetically modified and conventionally bred food crops. The case of potatoes

The risk assessment procedure of genetically modified and conventionally bred crop plants is compared. From a legal point of view, the main difference is the mandatory premarket approval for genetically modified foods. Genetically modified crop plants will only be approved when the preceding risk assessment has shown that the probability of a toxic or allergenic reaction to the newly expressed proteins is low. Furthermore, potential secondary effects due to the transformation technique or changes in metabolic pathways have to be assessed. Conventionally bred crop plants can be directly marketed without prior safety assessment. Legal regulation takes place at the level of variety registration. The tests for value of cultivation and use within the variety testing do not only assess agronomic properties but also quality characteristics. We compare the ingredients to be tested and discuss the question whether genetically modified foods are overregulated or whether there exist a loophole in the regulation of conventionally bred crop plants.