A major output of the work of the OECDs Working Group on Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology is the publication of consensus documents, which typically compile information on the biology of specific crop plant species which is for use in environmental risk/ safety assessment. The "Consensus document on the biology of the Native North American Larches: Subalpine larch (Larix lyallii), Western larch (Larix occidentalis), and tamarack (Larix laricina)" is now available on the web, at http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)7. The OECDs Task Force for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds also publishes consensus documents, dealing with issues related to human foods and animal feeds. It has recently published the "Consensus document on compositional considerations for new varieties of the cultivated mushroom Agaricus bisporus: Key food and feed nutrients, anti-nutrients and toxicants" and the "Consensus document on compositional considerations for new varieties of sunflower: Key food and feed nutrients, anti-nutrients and toxicants". See http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)5 and http://appli1.oecd.org/olis/2007doc.nsf/linkto/env-jm-mono(2007)6 respectively, or contact [email protected] for more information about any of these three publications.

03/05/2007