Comments on two recent publications on GM maize and Roundup.

Two -omics studies on genetically modified maize and Roundup-fed rats, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, contain serious flaws in the experimental design, methodology and interpretation of results, which we point out here. The use of -omics technologies are of increasing importance in research, however we argue for a cautious approach to the potential application in food safety assessments as these exceptionally sensitive and complex methods require a thorough and detailed evaluation of the biological significance of obtained results. Arising from: Mesnage et al.

Food safety risks and consumer health.

The major food safety risks are not eating a healthy diet, and failure to avoid foodborne illness. Over one billion people in the world suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition. Nutritionally enhanced transgenic crops such as Golden Rice are one potential strategy for reducing malnutrition in the world.

Can -omics inform a food safety assessment?

Omic technologies can in principle allow visualization of the all of changes that take place when the genetics, nutrition or environment of an organism is altered. Targeted compositional analysis is today a key component of the food safety assessment paradigm in which known nutrients, anti-nutrients, toxicants, allergens, and other molecules of potential biological importance to humans or animals are quantitatively analyzed. This allows safety assessors to compare the composition and safety of one food with closely related counterparts.