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Workshop on Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered (GE) Plants

    June 12, 2022
    9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Training Room, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority
    Dhaka, Bangladesh

The South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP) has been working in Bangladesh since 2005 in cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh to strengthen and support institutional governance of biotechnology. The collaboration resulted in the publication of several guidelines by the Government of Bangladesh, including the guidance document “Bangladesh Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered Plants.” This guidance was published by the then Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2012 and was adopted by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution as a national standard in 2013.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) has been identified in the Food Safety Act as the responsible body for ensuring that foods derived from GE plants that enter Bangladesh are safe. SABP is organizing a series of workshops with BFSA and the Ministry of Food to ensure that BFSA has operational capacity to implement safety assessments for foods derived from GE plants in accordance with the guidelines. The introductory event on May 17, 2022 was a by-invitation-only event for BFSA staff, committee members, and other relevant stakeholders to improve understanding of the global status of GM food in Bangladesh, as well as the safety assessment paradigm for whole foods.

The second event in this series was an in-person workshop covering topics pertaining to technical concepts in the safety assessment of foods derived from genetically engineered plants. In addition, there was a discussion on the global experience with genetically engineered food and feed, as well as regulations pertaining to products of modern biotechnology in Bangladesh. This workshop will be followed by in-depth technical training for officers or committee members who will be responsible for technical reviews.

Chief Guest and Special Guest

Md. Abdul Kayowm Sarker
Chairman Bangladesh Food Safety Authority
Monzur Morshed Ahmed
Member (Public Health & Nutrition) Bangladesh Food Safety Authority

Speakers

Andrew Roberts, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer Agriculture & Food Systems Institute (AFSI)
Rakha Hari Sarker, Ph.D.
Country Coordinator South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP)
Aparna Islam, Ph.D.
Professor Brac University
Stuart Smyth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor University of Saskatchewan
Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Pathology Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)
Bhavneet Bajaj, Ph.D.
Manager, Scientific Programs Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

Agenda

Inaugural Session

9:00 am

Welcome Address

Prof. Dr. Rakha Hari Sarker, Country Coordinator, South Asia Biosafety Program

9:05 am

Keynote Speech: Introduction to the South Asia Biosafety Program and Biosafety Context in Bangladesh

Dr. Andrew Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

9:20 am

Discussion Session on Regulations for Products of Modern Biotechnology in Bangladesh

Dr. Aparna Islam, Professor, Brac University

Dr. Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Professor, Department of Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)

Facilitator: Prof. Dr. Rakha Hari Sarker, Country Coordinator, South Asia Biosafety Program

9:40 am

Remarks by Special Guest

Mr. Monzur Morshed Ahmed, Member (Public Health & Nutrition), Bangladesh Food Safety Authority

9:50 am

Remarks by Special Guest

Dr. Andrew Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

10:00 am

Remarks by Chief Guest

Mr. Md. Abdul Kayowm Sarker, Chairman, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority

10:10 am

Vote of Thanks and Concluding Remarks by Chair

Prof. Dr. Rakha Hari Sarker, Country Coordinator, South Asia Biosafety Program

10:15 am

Tea Break

Technical Session I – Introduction to Concepts of Risk Assessment

10:30 am

Global Experience with GM Food and Feed

Dr. Stuart Smyth, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan

10:50 am

Key Concepts in the Risk Assessment of Genetically Engineered Crops

Dr. Andrew Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

11:20 am

Safety of Food Ingested Containing rDNA and Novel Proteins

Dr. Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Professor, Department of Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)

11:50 am

Q&A Session

Technical Session II – Information Requirements for Safety Assessment of GM Food

12:10 pm

International Guidance for Assessing Foods and Feeds Derived from Genetically Modified Plants

Dr. Bhavneet Bajaj, Manager – Scientific Programs, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

12:40 pm

Information Requirements per Bangladesh Guideline for Food Safety Assessment

Dr. Aparna Islam, Professor, Brac University

Prof. Dr. Rakha Hari Sarker, Country Coordinator, South Asia Biosafety Program

1:20 pm

Q&A Session

1:30 pm

Lunch Break

Technical Session III – Data Generated and Studies Done for Development of GM Crops

2:30 pm

Development Process for GM Crops

Dr. Bhavneet Bajaj, Manager – Scientific Programs, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

3:00 pm

Understanding Animal Feeding Studies in the Context of Genetically Engineered Food and Feed Safety Assessments

Dr. Andrew Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, Agriculture & Food Systems Institute

3:30 pm

Q&A Session

4:15 pm

Next Steps

Prof. Dr. Rakha Hari Sarker, Country Coordinator, South Asia Biosafety Program

4:30 pm

Close of Workshop (Tea Served)

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