The Regulation of Agrifood Biotechnology: from GMO s to New Genomic Techniques

Thanks to important scientific and technological developments, genetic breeding techniques have progressively become more sophisticated. Since the development of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), the scientific debate has now turned to New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) that carry out modifications more precisely than traditional GMOs. However, the use of biotechnology in the agrifood sector also poses ethical and legal challenges related to safety standards, food quality and ‘authenticity’, consumer and environment health, and labeling. Despite these challenges, biotechnology also represents an opportunity in terms of food security as a possible remedy for malnutrition and to safeguard indigenous foods. The regulation of biotechnology, therefore, appears to be a crucial issue to address as it can help achieve sustainability in the agrifood sector. This chapter explores this topic, focusing specifically on the regulation of GMO s and NGT s at the EU and national levels.