It’s been 30 years since Canada’s regulatory system for plant breeding innovation was last reviewed, but since then, genetically modified organisms (GMO) technology has become an important feature. More recently, there have been advancements in gene editing such as with CRISPR Cas9, RNAi and epigenetics. These changes, among others, prompted a Health Canada review of its Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods, which were updated in July.
Among researchers and plant breeders, the increased potential for discovery from CRISPR and RNAi has been an almost “quantum leap” for precise, targeted changes to a plant’s DNA. One researcher from Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada (AAFC) called gene editing “correcting a spelling mistake.” Could science continue doing what it’s always done in the past? Yes, but [Canada Grains Council’s Krista] Thomas likens the opportunity to assembling do-it-yourself furniture using the enclosed wrench in the package. Gene editing is like having a power ratchet: it’s still the same product in the end, but it’s built faster and easier.
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Author Loren Rieseberg, a professor of botany at the University of British Columbia, supported the review by Health Canada and the benefits of gene editing. He said the regulatory focus on novel traits provides greater flexibility than regulatory systems elsewhere and applications might increase slightly since applicants will have greater clarity about what to expect.
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Another benefit of the changes is the reduced regulatory cost, which [Krista] Thomas says will allow smaller players to participate. Yet Rieseberg believes there is the potential for less transparency compared to transgenic approaches about the techniques used to develop a particular trait or variety.
