JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS www.elsevier.com/locate/jfca Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 16 (2003) 250 Announcements International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Develops a Comprehensive Crop Composition Database Crop, food, and feed composition studies are considered an essential part of substantial equivalence evaluations of products derived from agricultural biotechnology. Information obtained from such studies is used in the assessment of whether there might be unexpected effects due to genetic modifications. In addition, composition studies for foods and feeds assess important nutritional and anti-nutritional endpoints relevant to public health. These composition studies have involved the measurement of numerous biochemical parameters, including proximates, amino acid profiles, lipid profiles, carbohydrate profiles, key vitamins and other nutrients, and anti-nutrients, where appropriate. Because plants are not homeostatic and are affected by local growing conditions such as weather, soil profile, and length of daylight, these studies include replication in several (often four or more) distinct sites to account for the environmental effects on composition. In 2001, the International Life Sciences Institute’s (ILSI) International Food Biotechnology Committee convened a task force to construct a comprehensive, up-to-date, global database on the composition of crops, using data generated by the agricultural biotechnology industry. This robust and up-to-date database will further our understanding of the phenotypic diversity in the composition of conventional crops and their products, provide a context for the evaluation of the composition of biotechnology- derived crops and their products, and enhance the scientific basis for and confidence in the concept of substantial equivalence. In addition, such a database will allow the addition of other publicly available data in consistent manner. The ILSI crop composition database currently includes information on the composition of conventional crops. It is expected that data on biotechnology-derived crops will be included in the near future. Submission of other publicly available data that meet the acceptability criteria is highly encouraged. In May 2002, ILSI presented the crop composition database at a meeting attended by representatives from the U.S., Canadian, and European government agencies; academia; and international organizations. Through discussions at this meeting, ILSI obtained feedback that greatly contributed to the quality of the database and improved its usefulness. In June 2002 the database was presented to the OECD Task Force for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds, and representatives of the FAO Food and Nutrition Division. More recently, in January 2003, the database was presented to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects of Genetically Engineered Foods on Human Health. The database has been available for public use (free of charge) via the Internet at /www.cropcomposition.orgS since early April 2003. doi:10.1016/S0889-1575(03)00040-1

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JOURNAL OFFOOD COMPOSITION

AND ANALYSIS

www.elsevier.com/locate/jfca

Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 16 (2003) 250

Announcements

International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Developsa Comprehensive Crop Composition Database

Crop, food, and feed composition studies are considered an essential part of substantial equivalenceevaluations of products derived from agricultural biotechnology. Information obtained from suchstudies is used in the assessment of whether there might be unexpected effects due to geneticmodifications. In addition, composition studies for foods and feeds assess important nutritional andanti-nutritional endpoints relevant to public health.

These composition studies have involved the measurement of numerous biochemical parameters,including proximates, amino acid profiles, lipid profiles, carbohydrate profiles, key vitamins and othernutrients, and anti-nutrients, where appropriate. Because plants are not homeostatic and are affectedby local growing conditions such as weather, soil profile, and length of daylight, these studies includereplication in several (often four or more) distinct sites to account for the environmental effects oncomposition.

In 2001, the International Life Sciences Institute’s (ILSI) International Food Biotechnology Committeeconvened a task force to construct a comprehensive, up-to-date, global database on the composition ofcrops, using data generated by the agricultural biotechnology industry. This robust and up-to-datedatabase will further our understanding of the phenotypic diversity in the composition of conventionalcrops and their products, provide a context for the evaluation of the composition of biotechnology-derived crops and their products, and enhance the scientific basis for and confidence in the concept ofsubstantial equivalence. In addition, such a database will allow the addition of other publicly availabledata in consistent manner. The ILSI crop composition database currently includes information on thecomposition of conventional crops. It is expected that data on biotechnology-derived crops will beincluded in the near future. Submission of other publicly available data that meet the acceptabilitycriteria is highly encouraged.

In May 2002, ILSI presented the crop composition database at a meeting attended by representativesfrom the U.S., Canadian, and European government agencies; academia; and internationalorganizations. Through discussions at this meeting, ILSI obtained feedback that greatly contributedto the quality of the database and improved its usefulness. In June 2002 the database was presented tothe OECD Task Force for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds, and representatives of the FAO Foodand Nutrition Division. More recently, in January 2003, the database was presented to the U.S.National Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Identifying and Assessing Unintended Effects ofGenetically Engineered Foods on Human Health.

The database has been available for public use (free of charge) via the Internet at/www.cropcomposition.orgS since early April 2003.

doi:10.1016/S0889-1575(03)00040-1